Red vs Blue: Retribution
by anna1795
Summary: The past with Project: Freelancer will once again be explored as the team and their AIs meet up with the secret of the Mother of Invention: an agent whose been there longer than they knew the project existed. First fanfic, reviews and follows appreciated.
1. Prologue

Hey there, all you beautiful people!

So, this is just an idea for a fanfiction that I needed to get down on paper, per say. Here's a prologue, just to test the waters before I continue. I'd appreciate any reviews about what I can do to improve and where I should go with my story. It WILL contain OCs, but I'll try not to have them stick out too much. And if any of this material looks similar to what you already have in a story and you feel that I am plagiarising, LET ME KNOW!

Thanks,

anna1795

* * *

**Valhalla Outpost 17B, Present Day  
**

**"_He took it all from us! He split us apart, and he wants us to die!"_**

**"_North, watch out!"_**

**"_We AI really need to stay together."_**

**"_Where's Carolina? What happened?"_**

**"_Epsilon, EPSILON!"_**

**"_Wash, I'm sorry. Epsilon's gone."_**

**"_Recovery One, we have another beacon."_**

_Agent Washington sprang up from his resting position, groping blindly in the darkness for the light switch and knocking over empty glasses for water to reach the small panel that would illuminate his room and drive away the nightmares. Gasping, he held his shaking body as the dim lights came to life in his small bedroom. It took him a moment, but then he remembered where he was. He was good at remembering things._

_It had been nearly a month since the Simulation soldiers had defeated the Meta and Epsilon had entered the capture unit after the Texas AI. Since the UNSC believed him to be dead, it was worth it to take "command" of the Blue Team at Outpost 17B, aka "Valhalla", and just relax as much as he could. The Red Team were even being nice and had given the Blues some much needed rest. It was more for Wash's and Caboose's sake than anything, but they all needed a chance to relax after their most recent incident with the Meta._

_Life at Blue Base was taken in stride (even though Caboose's lamenting over the loss of Church had merely become annoying after a bit), but though Epsilon had come and gone from Wash's life as quickly as before, he seemed more afflicted with memories from his past with Project Freelancer than ever before._

_It may have been working directly with the UNSC again. It may have been working alongside Maine again. It may even have been seeing Texas and realizing that the shells of a being could still live, and think, and exact their revenge._

_Whatever the case, whatever the logic or reasoning behind their recurrence, Wash knew that these memories that were coming back as nightmares were not only coming back for no good reason._

_And Wash did wish that the past could just stay that way and he could go on with his life. Memories never seemed to do that, though. He had repressed them for years._

_And just like memories had the habit of doing, the past did not stay away forever._

* * *

Reviews and followers are appreciated, flames are not. Thanks.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Project Freelancer, many years ago**

Agent North Dakota had come to the conclusion that his partner AI, Theta, was a very curious being. Sure, all of the AIs were curious in their own ways, but Theta had this strange fascination about the actions of his teammates that none of the others shared. When they had been heading back to North's chambers after a late-night training session, they had passed Wyoming, in his PJs, standing outside his room with a cup of tea and talking with the ghostly form of Gamma. A glance from Reginald had been enough to send North continuing on his way without a word; but a quick, discreet word between Theta and Gamma had the younger AI spewing out questions to his handler later about why some humans couldn't sleep and what they did when they couldn't. Whatever the object of Theta's curiosity, North would patiently answer all of his questions to the best of his ability and find answers for Theta when he didn't have them at first.

The day had started out no different than any other. North was woken up by the ship's AI, FILLS, told to report to the dining hall, and had his schedule uploaded into his helmet so that he could look over it at breakfast. He would suit up (except for his helmet) and make the trek down to the mess hall. He would pass the bathroom and hear Wash's sensitive stomach emptying itself of all its contents, politely ask what to avoid at breakfast (in this case, the eggs), thank the unfortunate agent who would be cursing his sensitive stomach and FILLS for not checking the eggs, then finished his trek to the dining hall.

"Don't go for the eggs," North warned the other Freelancers at their table; Maine, Wyoming, South, Carolina, and York all grimaced and pushed their trays away, the slightly discolored eggs jiggling rather ominously. North went up to the counter, grabbed a plate of sausage and toast, and rejoined the team at their table. "Hey, did any of you notice the change in our schedule for this morning?" he addressed the table in general.

"You mean the training session at 0930 for Wyoming and Carolina? Yeah, you're not the only one to notice," York replied, picking at the food that had not been 'contaminated' by the bad eggs.

"There is a rumor amongst the ship that Wyoming and Carolina will be combating an agent on probation," Sigma appeared and spoke to the table in general.

"An agent on probation? Where do you hear these things, Sigma?" Carolina asked, shaking her head.

"…Word gets around. But the register amongst the ship's records state that you are not the only Freelancers on board the _Mother of Invention_. Merely those most favored of the Director," the fiery AI continued in his oily voice.

"And there are those people more favored than we are," South muttered bitterly into her coffee, glancing up with everyone else as a small group of people entered the room; Agent Texas, in full armor, slid in to grab some coffee from the out-of-order dispenser. The black armored agent grumbled loudly as FILLS' screen beeped red with error, and Carolina snickered slightly. A woman in maintenance garb, two strands of her black hair dyed red and gold, came up and smacked the metal above the screen with a wrench, and the screen shifted to normal blue. Without a word, both Texas and the thirty-something maintenance woman headed towards the door.

"I wonder if your probation agent could be someone in maintenance," North said to Wyoming, thinking that he was quiet enough so as not to be heard. There came a smack to the back of his head, and he glanced up to see the black-haired woman staring down at him, her grey eyes glinting fiercely. He got a quick glance at her; tall, proportioned, no outstanding curves, and golden-brown skin that might suggest she was from a desert region. They locked eyes for a moment before she turned and stalked to the door again like an angry cat.

"Don't make any enemies with maintenance, North. It'll be hell for you if you do," York advised his friend sagely. "Trust me. I got in a row with a few of the electricians a while back, and I was without lighting in my room for two weeks. You don't want to get on the wrong side of anybody in maintenance."

"Thanks," North replied wryly. "I'll keep that in mind for next time."

The alarm on the ship went off that signaled the start of training, so they all grabbed their helmets and raced to the observation deck with Wyoming heading onto the training floor.

"Good morning, agents," the Counselor greeted the team with the sugary voice that nobody wanted to deal with in the morning. Texas was already there, talking quietly with the Director in a corner. "Agent Wyoming is already on the training floor, good," the dark-skinned man said quietly, making some notes on his pad.

"This morning's training and testing will be to determine whether an agent on probation may be cleared for active duty once again," the Director addressed the agents in his no-nonsense voice, barely tilting his head as Wash raced into the room and stood at attention. "This session will begin with eight rounds of paint training. I suggest you watch and learn," he finished, and they all turned to watch Wyoming, standing on the floor with two pistols loaded with paint rounds at his hip.

"Setting training floor for paint gun simulation," FILLS' voice crackled over the loudspeaker, and the stone columns rose up from the floor. The screen that listed the rankings flashed to life, with one name at the bottom of the list in neon green and with no number to the name: DELAWARE. Then came the words PROBATION and what looked to be a set of crossed blades as their symbol. Next to that were the numbers for the agent in terms of training and number of kills…or lack of, as the space was taken up with ellipsis.

"3…2…1…ROUND BEGIN," FILLS intoned, and the game was on.

* * *

"That was slightly embarrassing, Wyoming," York snickered as Wyoming entered the observation deck. Reggie gave a growl that would've done Maine proud.

Indeed, as North thought about it, the paint gun simulation had been an embarrassment on Wyoming's part. The first three rounds, neither Wyoming nor any of the other agents watching could see Delaware on the floor. Their only indicator was when Wyoming would fall to the ground with a splatter of paint on his helmet, chest, or stomach. The fourth time, it looked like that he had seen somebody and actually started to aim before being taken out with a head shot. The last four rounds, he was authorized to use Gamma to aid him as his performance was so poor. They had all asked each other if Delaware was given a cloaking enhancement with their armor and that was why they couldn't see him, but the Counselor and the Director merely smiled when questions were directed at them.

The fifth round, South had pointed out a flash of gold before Wyoming fell with a shot to the back. The sixth, both York and Maine had sworn that they had seen a helmet before Wyoming fired a shot…and was rewarded with three shots to the groin. The seventh round, he had actually engaged his opponent, or rather, he tried. The agent in question had only been a dash of dark red before giving Wyoming a punch to the gut and a round into his neck. The eighth round, Wyoming had just given up, stood at the edge of the training field, and taken the ten or so shots left in Delaware's gun, completely plastered in magenta paint. North looked at the clock: 1002. That had to be a new record.

Up next: Carolina against the mystery agent.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Project Freelancer, many years ago**

Agent York had come to the conclusion that his AI partner, Delta, was a very protective being. At night, when Delta couldn't sleep, he would run through statistics in York's head; the majority of these were survival statistics. They could be random at times, such as the possibility of being bitten by a Western Diamondback rattlesnake if you were back on Earth in the western US. Other times, they were helpful, like knowing you were just as likely to die in a Pelican crash as you are to get struck by lightning. Delta would always do his best to speed along a mission, check everyone's progress and make sure that they were where they needed to be. He'd automatically activate York's motion sensors when his handler forgot, or express his concern if Agent Washington was about to do something reckless. Whatever his odd quirks and such, York knew that Delta did all these things to protect those that he cared about.

And as Carolina began arguing with the Director about why she had to go up against the mysterious Agent Delaware, Delta was busy in York's head, whispering all sorts of statistics and running calculations that he tried to keep to himself, but could never completely fool the ever aware York.

'_Likelihood of Agent Wyoming being defeated by Agent Delaware, unknown. Data unspecified. Likelihood of Agent Carolina being defeated by Agent Delaware, unknown. Data unspecified.'_

Scenario after scenario ran through Delta's programming, survival statistics and tactics being considered for the briefest of moments before being either accepted or rejected, and the cycle continued.

'_**D, would you give it a rest? Carolina's going to be fine."**_ York tried to placate his aggravated AI, but Delta seemed to ignore York for the moment as he calculated the best weapons to use against an enemy that you didn't know of. York, instead, chose to focus on the end of Carolina's argument with the Director.

"Carolina, if you are so determined to remain stubborn and insubordinate, then you AND Agent Texas will go out there and defeat Agent Delaware. And just to prove my point, take Agent Maine with you as well," the Director snarled into Carolina's face.

"I don't need-" Carolina tried to protest, but the Director shouted her down.

"Yes, you obviously need to learn the value of cooperation with those team members that you most readily avoid! Get out there now, Texas and Maine too!" Scowling, Carolina stalked off to the door, Texas and Maine behind her. York turned his attention now to the training room floor, where the blocks of stone had sunk back into the floor and Agent Delaware was doing some stretches.

The soldier in question was garbed in standard burgundy armor with gold striping along the arms and legs, like those of a tiger. The helmet had the typical amber visor and had a main burgundy theme with a stripe of gold running down the middle, like Wash's helmet. What surprised the onlookers most, though, was that Delaware's figure was, though not distinctly, female.

"Agents Carolina, Texas, and Maine, you're objective is to put Delaware in a position where she would surrender. Agent Delaware, you're objective is to win against these three agents," the Director spoke through the intercom. Delaware looked up, nodded, and watched as Carolina, Texas, and Maine all came charging at her. There were no weapons at the moment, so it must have been hand-to-hand combat, York assumed.

Delaware charged at her attackers before doing a tuck and roll, slamming into Carolina and Maine like a juggernaut/bowling ball, grabbed Maine as he went flying, and tossed him into Texas. Carolina got back on her feet and started swinging punch after punch that Delaware avoided with just as quick of speed as Carolina was throwing them. Maine came up behind Delaware and started swiping at her head, but Delaware ducked, grabbed Carolina's outstretched hand, twisted it behind her back, and flipped her over Delaware's back with one hand while the burgundy agent gave Maine a nasty upper cut. Texas showed up and landed a few blows on Delaware's arms before she was apprehended by Delaware's two hands and kicked in the chest, sending her flying.

* * *

"What are you noticing, Agents?" The Director asked the observers as they looked on intently at the battle.

"Delaware's moving like she doesn't care at all. It's almost like she knows whatever move is coming at her from any direction. And her fighting style is a bit strange," South spoke as she leaned on the railing.

"Why is she so readily combating all three agents at once?"

"Because Carolina, Texas, and Maine aren't working together as a team," Washington answered the Director.

"Very good. Now, let's see if they'll be a little better with their AIs," and the Director had FILLS announce that AIs could be used in the training exercises.

* * *

Carolina, Tex, and Maine all backed off for a moment to catch their breaths, Omega and Sigma appearing at their handlers' shoulders.

"Why are you not working as a team?" Sigma asked the Freelancers as they gasped for breath.

"I DON'T NEED HER HELPING ME," Carolina and Texas spoke at the same time, and Omega cackled.

"That's it. Infighting will produce the most superior being that can tackle the poor, misguided wannabe that wants to retake her place amongst the Director's favored soldiers," he sneered.

"Shut up, Omega," Tex snarled, and Omega popped out of existence.

Maine growled, and Sigma nodded sagely. "Your own rivalries can resume once we are off the battlefield, Agents Carolina and Texas. For now, Agent Maine is correct. We MUST work together as a team if we are to even come close to achieving our objective," he spoke smoothly. Carolina growled and Texas returned it, but both made no sound to object.

"The Director did not forbid the use of weapons in this exercise, did he? I believe that there is a cache of them two floor panels to the right, Agent Maine…"

* * *

Once the rounds of active ammo went off, York's sense of fear heightened and Delta actually came into view.

"The use of live ammo in a training exercise is highly inadvisable," the AI spoke in concern.

"They are finally working as a team and being resourceful, Delta. Let's see where they go with this," the Director replied in a harsh tone, and Delta quieted, choosing to watch as Texas went at Delaware with a standard battle rifle and Carolina with a Grav Hammer.

Though it came as, ultimately, no surprise to anyone that the active Freelancers were using live ammo on the training room floor, NOBODY expected the twin swords that Delaware began wielding with blinding speed. Deflecting bullets and using the flat of the blade to topple her attackers, Delaware was moving across the training room floor with, still, that practiced ease that seemed to exhibit she had no care in the world.

"Let's shake things up a bit, shall we?" the Director muttered, pressing a button. The stone columns erupted out of the floor again, and they actually began moving up and down in a strange synchronization. Carolina and Texas tried to regain their balance, Maine toppled over…and Delaware was doing cartwheels on the moving blocks with the grace of an acrobat or a dancer.

Then, Texas ran forward and grabbed Delaware around the middle, tossing her into one of the tallest of the moving pillars. Delaware's body shattered the stone, and she skidded across the floor before getting back up in time to redirect a fist attack from Maine. Carolina came in at that point and swung her Grav Hammer with precision. Delaware flew across the room again, but she just stood up calmly and dodged further attacks.

Finally, things were starting to get tiring when Delaware made her biggest mistake. She started backing up away from the three advancing Freelancers when her left foot fell out from underneath her and she started to fall over. The others charged and smashed into her all at once, flattening her against the moving stone that finally sank into the floor.

It was all over. Carolina, Texas, and Maine had worked as a team to complete their objective.

Delaware had failed hers.

"Well done, Agents. Most objectives were achieved with precision and teamwork," the Director spoke to those on the training floor as they looked up at him in the window, listening to the intercom. "Agent Delaware, because you failed in your objective, you will NOT be returned to active duty. You shall remain on probationary duty for an extended period of time until it is deemed appropriate that you may try again for active duty," he spoke to the burgundy agent, who barely moved a muscle.

Finally, Delaware tore off her helmet (which now had a cracked visor from the fight) and tossed it into the corner, then looked up at the Director with stormy grey eyes, black hair with the singly scarlet-gold strand waving slightly from the force that she used to tear off her helmet.

"Sir, my opponents used an illegal stash of weapons within the exe-"she started in a voice slightly hoarse with age, but the Director would hear none of it.

"Your opponents were resourceful in their attempt to defeat you, Agent Delaware. I suggest you remember that any enemy will be even more sneaky and underhanded if you ever return to active duty once again. You are dismissed," he spoke with a firm final word, and Delaware could not argue. Angrily, she whipped around, restored her twin blades to their sheaths at her hips, and stalked into the locker room without a word to Carolina, Texas, or Maine.

* * *

"Maybe we should go talk to her?" North suggested tentatively as he, York, and Washington all exited the observation deck for lunch and passed a growling Delaware exiting the locker room.

"Likelihood of survival if confronting Delaware's current mood…most unlikely," Delta whispered. A vague statistic, but Delta always meant well when protecting those he cared about.

"Yeah, best to leave angry women alone for a bit," Wash spoke quietly as an incensed Carolina and Texas entered the locker room that Delaware had just vacated.

Still, York couldn't help but wonder. Just how long had Delaware been on probation if they had never heard about her before? Why had the Director suggest that Delaware might NOT see an active battlefield within her career? And just who was Delaware?

* * *

_And there's Chapter 2. I hope that this story is going better than it was at the beginning. I made some changes to the Prologue and Chapter 1 from when I first submitted them, so I hope they better appeal to your tastes. Keep reading and responding, but NO FLAMES! Thanks to you all. :3_


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Agent Texas had come to the conclusion that nobody had told her the entire truth about her AI, Omega. When she had been charged with him, the Counselor and medical staff had only told her that Omega could be…volatile, and was to be kept a secret from the other Freelancers. When she talked with Omega, she had gotten the distinct impression that the smoky AI had a superiority complex. He would constantly remark about other people that Texas had met and shared moments with in a condescending tone and how easy it would be to "crush them into dust." He was also very aggressive, which would sometimes spill over into her own self when she met up with, say, Carolina. Carolina had a problem with Texas, and Omega had a problem with Carolina; it was as if he perceived the aquamarine soldier as an actual threat. Even stranger still, when Omega and Texas were alone and they talked, he spoke to her and about her in the kindest way that he possibly could. Granted, it was not much, but there was a level of tenderness in the AI's speaking tone that suggested he truly cared for her. Not like he would actually admit it to her face, though.

* * *

So, Texas and Omega were "talking" within the recesses of Texas' mind when she entered the mess hall that evening for dinner, grabbed her tray, and had almost made her way out the door when she heard a voice calling her name. She turned to see South standing at the Freelancer table, the others sitting around her with either glowers or worried expressions.

"Hey, Texas!" South called with the faintest hint of malice in her voice. "How come you never eat in here with us? Too good to sitting with your team, huh?"

Tex growled silently, glaring daggers at South. She was asking for it, she really was. South knew that she couldn't take Tex on physically, so she just resorted to being a bully to make herself feel better. Tex had never really much liked South, or anyone on the team for that matter. North was alright, she supposed, she never had never talked to him really; Wash was naïve, but he had good intentions; and York was a fool, but a chivalrous fool. The others, she would not tolerate for long periods of time.

"For your information, South, I have better things to do while I eat," she snarled in response. South looked as if to make a smart remark, but Wyoming pulled her down.

"Well, I'm sure that you can take a break for a few minutes and enjoy supper with us, old girl. Let your hair down for a moment, if you will," he spoke smoothly, and Texas reeled back. She never took her helmet off in front of other people; it made her feel so insecure. But to deny an invitation was downright rude, and they WERE supposed to be working together. "Well?" Wyoming asked again, and Tex had no choice but to shuffle over and face being sat between Maine and York. She still kept her helmet on, though.

"Come on, take off the helmet," Wyoming pressed her, but Tex remained stubborn. She'd pull a Wash and eat in her helmet. She wasn't taking it off with the rest of the group.

"What, too chicken to show your face?" Carolina sneered at the black-armored agent.

"That's enough," York said quietly yet firmly, staring at Carolina.

"Yeah, maybe she just doesn't take off her helmet for, um, religious reasons!" Wash piped up, and all turned their heads to look at him. "Sorry," he mumbled.

The topic did not go any further for at that moment, the doors hissed open and all the personnel fell silent. Delaware walked in, still in her burgundy and gold armor but without her helmet, long black hair tied in a jaunty bun that was partially falling out. She started to make her way over to the food line before a few of the maintenance crew stood up and blocked her path.

"Well, well, well. Look, boys, it's the Freelancer reject," the one in the center sneered, and his cronies chuckled all around him.

"What do you want, Kilt?" Delaware snarled, and the helmeted man shrugged.

"Just checking to see how your probation match went, but we were all watching. Guess you're just not one of the Director's favorites, are you?" he remarked cruelly, and Delaware shrugged in return.

"Guess not."

"You must be upset. How 'bout you come back to my room for a little, you know, one on one? If you get my drift, that is," the guy, Kilt, leered at the woman, who wrinkled her nose distastefully. North and York looked about ready to get up from their chairs, but Tex beat them to it. She abandoned her food and made her way to stand behind Delaware, cracking her knuckles.

"Ooh, the reject has backup. I'm SO scared," Kilt cackled, and Omega cackled within the recesses of Tex's mind.

"_Yes, let him make you angry. Let your rage be felt in the fear on his face as you tear out his skull and beat him to death with it_," the AI said, and Tex chose to ignore him. Delaware, meanwhile, was staring the man down with narrowed grey eyes.

"I must insist that you don't make me angry, Kilt. You do not want to see me angry," she snarled at him.

"No. All I want is to see you in my bed."

Delaware made to lunge forward at the offender before she stopped in her crouch as a large, golden-amber SOMETHING blossomed into being on the ground, snarling up at the offending engineering personnel with bared fangs. The Freelancers couldn't help but stare at the new AI, which had taken the form of a lean desert cat and was growling with bared fangs. It was enough for both of the groups to start backing away, the AI creature staying close to Delaware.

"Chi, they're not worth it," Delaware whispered, but the AI continued to ignore her in favor of giving a distinct his. "It's not right to do that, Chi. Let them off this once," she continued, drawing away towards the door, her appetite forgotten. The AI gave one last snap of their teeth before it turned quickly and prodded into nothingness, while Delaware left without a look or anything to eat. Texas followed suit, abandoning her own dinner.

"Delta, you seem to have access to all the ship's information, correct?" York asked his AI, who had appeared on his shoulder. "Can you tell us who that AI is, and anything else about Delaware?" he asked quietly as the solders continued to start their conversations after Delaware had left. The green AI remained silent as he gained access to the ship's database and began searching, searching…

"_Agent Delaware has been a registered agent of Project: Freelancer for 112 months, specializes in hand to hand and weapons training, originated from the Reach colony-_"

"She's from Reach?!" South nearly yelled, and the others shushed her urgently, lest they attract the wrong attention.

"_As I was saying, her registered AI was received a mere 4 months ago and is designated Program CH1, or Chi."_ The AI paused for a moment in his own perusal of the agent's file, but did not find much there considering how long Delaware had been with the Project.

"Sounds like Delaware is one of the first agents on board this project," North mused, narrowing his eyes in concentration.

"But who IS she? We don't actually know anything about her," Wash pointed out to them from his spot next to Maine.

"Delta, old chap, you are one of the first AI to be delivered to our group. Have you had any sort of conversation with Agent Delaware's AI?" Wyoming asked the green AI, who looked at him.

"_I have. Chi and I were formed within a short space of each other, and I have had a conversation with her._"

"Her?"

"_Yes, her. Chi is…a curious entity. She is quiet and always thinking, and makes judgments on what is right and what is wrong based on morality protocol and the greater good of the mission. She is also able to change her form at will."_

"I take it that she's not always a wildcat?" Carolina remarked.

"_Indeed. When we first met each other, Chi had taken the form of an extinct _Speotyto cunicularia." At the empty glances from the others, Delta quickly added, "_a burrowing owl._"

"_North, I would like to meet my sister,"_ Theta spoke from North's shoulder, not speaking directly to Delta.

"I don't know, Theta. We're not supposed to let you talk to other AI units outside of the battle field," North spoke doubtfully as he poked and prodded the food on his plate.

"Oh, come on, North," Wash insisted on behalf of Theta. "The kid's just curious to see what his big sister is like. It'd also give us a chance to get to actually _meet_ Delaware."

At this point, South stalked off with disgust painted across her face. It was common knowledge that she was no fan of the AIs that her fellows had started carrying. Maybe she'd be settled if she had one of her own. North looked after his sister sadly, sighed, and leaned in close.

"Alright, what's the plan?"

* * *

So North, York, and Wash were the only three Freelancers to make their way down a hallway towards their own quarters, hoping that they might find some indication as to where Delaware, stuck on maintenance duty still, might be working. They ducked in another hallway and poked their heads out slightly to try and glimpse the agent, now dressed in the grey slacks of the maintenance crew, cleaning the control panels to the various supply rooms. Her hair, tied to the base of her skull, still flowed down to her waist in a silky flow of foreign beauty that none of them had seen on their home worlds, be they Earth or one of the colonies. The side of her face that was visible, obscured by the red and gold locks earlier, was exposed to them and showed a glistening black tattoo that surrounded her eye, shaped like a small set of wings. Now the Freelancers knew that, wherever Delaware had come from, she was probably from one of the outer colonies.

The outer colonies were rarely visited by civilians of the UNSC, and not much was known about them outside of military knowledge. The planets that were colonized were more 'traditionalist' than those colonies situated closer to Earth, and could also be more warlike. As such, many of those colonies used tattoos to display rank in a society, or indicate a warrior or politician, or what tribe a person belonged to on a world. North had done extensive study into the outer colonies in case they ever visited them one day, but he had no idea where Delaware could have come from based on her own marking.

"_You have not eaten,_" came a voice in the hallway that spooked the three sneaking Freelancers. An amber glow appeared from one of the ship's holographic projectors in the hallway where Delaware worked, taking on the form of a simple glowing sphere.

"I didn't feel hungry after that little stunt they pulled," the woman grumbled, rubbing just a little harder against the panel she was cleaning.

"_You cannot let yourself starve. I can alert the kitchens to send you something,_" the AI spoke in a synthesized female voice, calm and collected.

Delaware snorted. "I'm fine, Chi. I just need to keep up with my work if I'm going to sleep tonight."

"_But your sleeping quarters on Deck 6 were damaged in the last Insurrectionist attack, remember?_"

"Madre de los Dios!" Delaware snarled in Spanish, tossing her rag down in anger. Chi unfurled from her orb-like shape into a tiny bird, a sparrow, and hopped onto Delaware's shoulders. "Where am I going to stay now?"

"…_there is a loft on this deck that is currently vacant, in one of the storage rooms. I'm sure that no one would mind you staying up there,"_ the AI suggested quietly. Delaware gave a grumble and continued to work, while Chi disappeared in a flash of light. York, North, and Washington took that as their cue to leave the disgruntled woman alone.

However, they only got to a short way away from where Delaware was cleaning before something bright and amber flashed in front of them, halting them.

"_What were you doing near my host?"_ the AI hissed, taking on the form of a flowing sphere again.

"We weren't doing anything, honest!" Wash protested, holding up his hands in defense as the AI surged towards him.

"Easy there, Chi. We were just checking to make sure that Delaware was alright," York said soothingly to the agitated AI, and Delta appeared on his shoulder. Chi swerved to confront him as Delta spoke.

"_It is true. These three Freelancers had no intent of harming your host."_

Chi seemed to settle slightly, unfurling thin tendrils in the direction of the green AI.

"_Delta. It has been quite some time since we last spoke,"_ the female AI said in a neutral tone, very carefully measured.

None of the Freelancers could believe it. The AI units weren't allowed to talk to each other outside of the battlefield. Delta was actually willing to break protocol to confront another AI?

"_I must apologize for my outburst. Please excuse me,"_ and the AI flashed out of existence as quickly as she had come.

And though none of them, AI or otherwise, said it to their company, they were sort of sad to see the amber AI leave.

* * *

A short ways away, Agent Texas slid around the corner into another hallway, where Omega appeared on her shoulder.

"She's an AI fragment? I didn't think that they could change shape," Texas muttered as she headed back to her quarters.

"_The powerful AIs can. She'll closer to what may be considered a 'smart' AI',_" Omega rumbled back to his host.

"Why do you know these things, Omega? What do they do for you?"

"_Why do you NOT know them, Allison? Shouldn't you know these things?"_ Omega flashed out of existence as well, leaving Texas to muse over her well-kept secret and what she could find out from someone like Delaware.

Whatever the case, Texas could conclude that the introduction of Delaware into the Freelancers' lives would have some outstanding consequences.

And, very likely, someone could end up dead because of it.

* * *

_Foreshadowing! Man, I love that about fanfics._

_You know the drill. Read and respond, please. I love that I'm getting so many people to read this, but I would like some feedback if you can offer any. _

_Thanks, _

_anna1795_


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Agent Maine had come to the conclusion that his AI, Sigma, was even more deceptive and devious than Wyoming's AI, Gamma. The fiery virtual being always seemed to have some ulterior motive to his actions and words, most of which Maine couldn't really think about much for some reason. He was left to his own thoughts; Sigma's kept locked away somewhere. Still, the AI used Maine to carry him around, and he in turn was Maine's voice.

So when Maine saw Washington in a hallway alone, peaking around another corner, it was Sigma who appeared in front of the other agent and voiced Maine's question.

"Agent Washington, what are you doing?" the flame-covered figure asked.

Washington jumped and made a loud startled noise as he turned to face Maine, breathing heavily.

"Don't do that," he gasped, a hand clutching his heart. He turned his head around the corner again for a moment and ducked down, cursing. "If you must know, I was…trying to find someone…from maintenance."

"Is there a problem with something?" Sigma asked, while Maine cocked his head.

"No; actually, it's like everything is much more right than it used to be. Our rooms are actually CLEAN for the first time since we got here, everything is shinier, and it's all because of…" Wash trailed off mysteriously, turning to look down the hallway again. "…_her_."

"You mean Agent Delaware?"

"Yeah, her. She's so nice to us, even when you and Carolina and Tex beat her in that fight. Well, I guess not really nice. More just, a level above tolerant or something…" Wash was babbling pretty badly, and Maine hit him across the head gently.

"Thanks; I needed that. Anyways, I'm just trying to see what she does in her spare time."

Curious, Maine and Sigma chanced a glance around the corner. There, Delaware sat against the wall below a long window, perusing various data pads and speaking with Chi in a low voice. The amber AI caught sight of Sigma, however, and growled at him while pacing in front of Delaware as an angry cat. Never before had another of his brothers and sisters indicated a dislike to him, and Sigma could not help but feel apprehension towards his mysterious, powerful sibling. He would never let it show, though.

"A-Anyways, I should probably…be going now. Bye!" Washington ran off in the opposite direction, leaving Sigma to ponder in Maine's mind. What was the mystery behind Delaware, and why did Agent Washington have a fascination in her?

As it turned out, Wash was not the only one that had an interest in Delaware or her well-being. York always made sure to keep the more antagonistic members of the team (i.e. Wyoming and South) occupied while she passed by their way so as not to cause a confrontation; and whenever that troublesome maintenance person, Kilt, would turn up in the same vicinity and approach Delaware, North would stand up to his tallest height a short distance away and flex his muscles, or even growl, to fend off the bullies. Even Texas was taking an interest in what Delaware was doing involved in the project and made an effort to TALK with her on occasion, either in the mess hall or just in the hallways. Whatever the case might have been, Delaware still remained as silent about herself as well as the nature of her AI.

All of that changed on the day that everyone onboard the _Mother of Invention_ both anticipated and dreaded: mail day. The day that a courier from one of the colonies would dock on the station to deliver hand-written letters, data pads, and care packages to the staff. The day was both a celebration for hearing from the families that they had left behind, and a dreaded day for the note foretelling the passage of a loved one.

So, the day found everyone filed into the main hangar as the UNSC Pelican coasted in for a landing, carrying several off-duty ODSTs with large bags of mail. The Freelancers (sans Delaware and Texas) were all lined up in the back as names were called out to pick up the mail.

"Oh, man. I hope that I got just a letter from Ma and not another sweater because 'space is cold,'" Washington mumbled as he shifted from foot to foot anxiously.

"What are the odds that Mom and Dad just included us in the same letter again?" North asked his sister, who simply shrugged noncommittally. York was bouncing slightly in his armor at the prospects of a care package from his girl back home: cookies, pies, cakes, and all the books that he could read for a few months. Carolina, meanwhile, was thinking of mail from her brother, who worked within Admiral Hood's fleet.

Eventually, all of their names were called and they went up to collect their packages excitedly. North and South exchanged their letters between each other while Wash grumbled at the mass of lumpy yarn in the cardboard box marked 'With Love.' York munched on a cookie as he started looking through the letter from his girlfriend, and Carolina merely stood as she read about her brother's recent adventures on an Elite battle cruiser.

There came as scraping noise as the ODSTs pushed a large crate off of the Pelican and had Delaware sign for it, glad to have the burden off of their backs, it seemed. The dark-haired Agent pushed the enormous box away from the Pelican so that the craft could take off, and the Freelancers went over to investigate as she began prying off the lid with a crowbar with the help of a small crowd around the box. No group of people on the ship had ever gotten so much mail while they were there, and it never came in such huge, expensive containers. Whatever was in the box, the sender was pretty wealthy.

"What's in the box, Delaware?" York asked as Delaware continued to bend the nails holding the box lid shut.

"Oh, stuff from home. We don't get much mail often, being from an Outer Colony," she muttered loudly as with a final *crash*, the lid toppled over the side and she vaulted into the box. The crowd around the box got out of the way for the curious Freelancers while muttering excitedly. All had their helmets off, and they had some tattoo similar to the wings on Delaware's face. There came much scuffling and sorting through items before Delaware's head popped up again, leaning over the side of the box. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," York said hurriedly just as packages started flying towards the crowd of Off-worlders and they caught them excitedly with shouts of thanks. The packages continued to fly until Delaware called out that there wasn't anything else in the box for anybody. By then, everybody had received something and had retreated to either open their packages to go about their duties. South took the reprieve to get Delaware's attention.

"Who sends you that much mail?" the blonde girl demanded, almost accusingly.

"Oh, all of our relatives send us this one package since we're all stationed on one ship," Delaware trailed off, untying something in her hands. She pulled out a dagger in a fine leather sheath from fabric wrapping, admiring the handiwork. "And since I'm here and in a kind of leadership role, I'm charged with distributing the mail to everyone once it gets here from home."

Suddenly, she whipped around and caught something pale with five fingers that was inching over the edge of the container, placing the dagger against freckled skin as a whine came from somewhere.

"Kilt, what have I told you before? DON'T TOUCH MY STUFF!" Delaware snarled in the most threatening manner possible, and the red-haired young man looked up at her.

"Just because you don't like to share-" he tried to complain, but never got the chance as she bent his wrist back further and further, and she didn't look like she would stop. North and York made a move to stop her while the others stood frozen, but someone beat them to it.

"_Delaware, no!_" Chi blossomed into being on the Freelancer's shoulder, her shimmering orb figure blinking randomly in distress, wisps of light dancing around a polished surface. Delaware ignored the AI and stared Kilt hard in the face, anger clearly etched amongst premature aging lines. _"Delaware, please stop. He didn't do any harm…it's not right_," the AI whispered desperately, trying to soothe the agitated woman. At the mention of the words "not right," Delaware released the offender's hand so that he could scramble away from the crate, clutching his bruised hand.

"I don't know why you constantly try to annoy me, or why you think that it's fun to hit on me. But if you keep this up, I don't care what my AI says next time. If you know what's good for you, leave me alone," Delaware hissed at the guy as he scrambled away, cursing her out as he made his way out to get his wrist checked out. She looked so angry that no one seemed willing to talk to her at the moment, so Delaware just grabbed a cardboard box, vaulted out of the crate, and left with a muttered "Excuse me."

"Does she seem a little…off to you?" South asked with her arms folded.

"A bit," Carolina said slowly, and North rounded on her.

"Hey, ease up," he snapped, turning to leave for his next training session.

"Oh, sounds like someone has a crush," Carolina sneered as North started marching out the door.

"I said, ease up," he growled in response, helmet secure over his face to hide a rising blush, but South started to bait him as well.

"At least you don't have a conscience that has to appear on your shoulder and fight your battles for you, North," she called after him, but North just ignored her as he stalked off angrily.

* * *

"_North, why are you so angry?_" Theta asked curiously from inside North's head, but not bothering to appear on his host's shoulder per usual.

"Sorry, Theta. I just…I guess that I don't know what went on," North replied to his AI, taking a few deep breaths.

_"Perhaps you have developed a relationship with Agent Delaware that has warranted unwanted attention from your fellow agents,_" Delta remarked as he started walking along North, York running to catch up with his friend.

"Basically, they think that you have a crush on Del, which is normal, and they want to get you riled up about it," the tan Freelancer remarked to his purple fellow.

"Yeah, but I don't see why I get so-" North stopped as the sounds of a struggle reached his ears, and everyone stilled in the near-abandoned hallway. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

"I sure do," York replied gravely. "Let's go check it out."

* * *

RECEIVING DATA…UPLOAD COMPLETE…

IAOC CASE FILE TO OPERATOR CODE: BLACK PHOENIX.

Evidence: On 25 September 2563, a UNSC classified frigate, call name _DOGS OF WAR_, entered the outer rim of IAOC-protected territory in the area of lunar satellite colony JANUS-2. Frigate halted by passing unidentified star cruiser for unknown reasons. 20 minutes after initial halt, at 0538, _DOGS OF WAR_ was destroyed by an explosion emanating from the main engine and ammunitions storage units. No survivors located. Unidentified star cruiser entered slip space, has not been classified with a specific organization. Requesting immediate analysis and action.

SENDER: OPERATOR CODE: RED STALLION.

Origin of message: location data will undergo automatic deletion…

36% complete…79% complete…100% complete.

ORIGIN DATA SUCCESSFULLY DELETED.

* * *

_Sorry for the late update, guys. Been really busy with school, work, and a minor case of writer's block. _

_The ending may seem a little bit choppy, but it will continue from here. Also, the report at the end WILL have meaning within the story._

_Read and respond, please. No flames, please. _

_Love to you all,_

_anna1795_


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

For all that it was worth, North mentally punched himself for failing to recognize the clear sounds of an unfair fight coming from the direction that he and York were hurrying in. There were muffled yells, clear sounds of distress, hissing, and the like coming from one of the unused rooms in the hallway that they had started coming down.

So, when North opened the door to see several of the (surprise) maintenance crew kicking and punching at somebody with dark hair barely moving on the ground, he made up for his first mistake by slamming into two of the assailants without a moment's hesitation. They crumpled as his combined body and armor weight sent them flying across the empty room. Sounds of breaking bone and cries of pain told him that York had also joined the fray.

"Stand down!" North shouted, and a few of the men backed off immediately at the dangerous tone of the Freelancer's voice. Some of them, however, were more reluctant to stay away. "Now," he growled, and they slid away from their victim quickly. North rushed over and carefully inspected the person for injuries, while an amber glow flickered worriedly and disappeared randomly.

Delaware looked an absolute mess. The skin that was visible was darkening with black and purple bruises, and tiny cuts created red dashes across the multi-colored golden-brown. One eye was swollen shut, and she had a cut lip. Del gave a groan as she tried to sit up, and she hissed while placing a badly damaged hand against her side, where something was sticking out a leaking blood sluggishly. "Don't…bother," she wheezed, trying to sit up again while avoiding putting excess pressure on the piece of metal sticking in her side. "I've had worse."

"You've been stabbed in the side," North spoke bluntly.

"…Just a flesh wound."

"Oh man," he groaned at her stubbornness as he laid her flat on the floor and alerted the med bay of the situation. York had all of the assailants lined up against the wall and was shouting at the leader with red hair, Kilt, about how personal grudges could be solved other ways than ganging up on someone and beating them to a pulp. "Theta, any recommendations for how to stop some of this bleeding?"

The purple and blue AI appeared next to where he knelt. "_You could try to wipe off some of the cuts to keep them from being infected,"_ the AI suggested in an unsure manner.

"_There are some cleaning cloths in Agent Delaware's pocket that you may borrow,_" Chi suggested, and North pulled them out to start cleaning Delaware's wounds. She put a hand on his forearm quickly, her breathing slightly hyperventilated.

"Magnet…over there," she indicated with her head. "Hurts…my head."

North reached over and pulled a magnet into his field of vision, but dropped it suddenly as a painful shock ran through his body, and Theta game a cry of pain. He reflexively kicked the magnet out of reach, and the pain died suddenly. Del relaxed greatly as her breathing became less forced and deeper. He continued to wipe off the blood while York forced all of the maintenance people in the room into a close group in a corner, warning them not to move until someone else came to handle the situation. Del blinked slowly and gave a small half-smile to North for his efforts.

The door opened with a bang as several medics came running in with a stretcher, followed by some ODSTs that shoved the offenders from the room to be dealt with elsewhere. Some of them started asking York questions, but North didn't pay attention to that. He was helping support Del's head as a man in a white suit with a salt- and- pepper moustache and longer hair inspected the metal in Delaware's side.

"You sure got yourself in a fix, lass," he grumbled as he put pressure on the wound and gave a sharp tug, pulling out a piece of metal that looked broken off from something. Delaware didn't notice though, from the painkillers being injected into her bloodstream.

"I don't want to hear it now, Julius, please," she whispered tiredly as she was carefully lifted up into the stretcher. "They broke my sword."

"We'll worry about that when you're more awake, kid. Now, let's get you to surgery," the MO said gently to his charge. He nodded to North, who backed up so that they could start carting Delaware out. She squeezed his hand once before letting it fall to her side limply, and the woman fell unconscious.

"Get her to surgery, stat," the medic, Julius, ordered the two others as they ran Delaware out of the empty room, making to follow them. "You," he turned to North and York, "Don't get in the way for now. Just take her stuff down to her room and wait for us to be done. I'll let you know what happens."

"Understood," they answered respectfully as the grey-haired man left quickly.

"I can't believe that this happened," York hissed as he hit the wall with a clenched fist.

"We couldn't really stop them from jumping her, York. We're lucky that we got there when we did, and she's gonna live," North tried to appease his friend.

"That's not good enough, and you know it, North!" York shouted, whipping around and glaring with his one good eye, but his anger was not directed at his friend.

"So we take what happened and learn from it so that we don't let it happen again," North replied as he picked up the box that Delaware had been carrying. "Come on, let's get this to her room." He paused for a second. "Hey, Theta? Where are Delaware's quarters?" he asked with slight embarrassment at not knowing the fact.

"_Umm, it looks like she was just moving from some storage hangar to a room on the 5__th__ Deck aft of the ship,_" the child-like AI reported to his host. "_They just finished repairs and she was going back to that place when she was attacked._"

"Thanks a lot, Theta," North said kindly, readjusting the box so that it was better situated in his arms. "Come on. We might as well get going before we miss something else important," he said to York, who let out a loud breath and followed his friend down the hallway, where they were joined by Washington.

"Hey! I just heard what happened. Is Delaware gonna be alright?" the grey-armored agent addressed the other Freelancers.

"Yeah, she'll make it. She's just up in surgery now, so we're taking her stuff back to her quarters," North explained as Wash took larger steps to keep up with the older agents.

"Great. How are we gonna get in?" Wash asked, and North nearly face palmed at not asking about Delaware's key code to get into her room.

"Hello? Infiltration specialist, right here!" York said indignantly for being ignored, and they all laughed.

Three hallways, two elevators, and five questions about directions later, the three of them stood outside of a non-descript door in the middle of a hallway reserved for ODST quarters, marked only with the Freelancer insignia and a small plaque spelling out "DELAWARE".

"Well, I guess we just need to drop off the stuff and leave," North said with uncertainty.

"I've got the room unlocked. We might as well put it in a place that she can see it when she gets back," York added, starting to pull the slightly resistant door that would not slide automatically open. Though their intentions were good, the three Agents were driven by a curiosity that they could not explain. Something about Delaware positively attracted them, and they needed to find out what was peaking some unconscious interest in the mysterious female Agent. So, they would drop off the box and leave…after getting a quick look as to just WHO Delaware really was.

The door opened.

Delta and Theta appeared, readily waiting with their hosts.

And nobody would have expected what they found in there.

* * *

COMPLETING DATA COMPILATION…COMPILATION COMPLETE…

IAOC CASE FILE 090243Z7. RESPONSE TO OPERATOR CODE: RED STALLION

Suggestion: In response to the appearance of the unidentified vessel and the destruction of the UNSC Frigate _DOGS OF WAR_, military action must be taken to secure the IAOC territory. Redirect IAOC Frigates _ANTIETAM_ and _CORAL SEA_ to provide above-atmosphere protection to JANUS-2 and surrounding satellite colonies NYCRO and BELTAINE-14. Investigate the existence of a slip space trail within the region of the unidentified star cruiser. Contact Sangheilli correspondents about possible Covenant activity within the Outer Colony region. Requesting immediate implementation and response.

SENDER: OPERATOR CODE: BLACK PHOENIX

ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS: OPERATORS CODE: BLUE ANDROMEDA, WHITE DRAGON, GREEN SOLITUDE

Origin of message: location data will undergo automatic deletion…

28% complete…68% complete…100% complete.

ORIGIN DATA SUCCESSFULLY DELETED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND THIS MESSAGE? Y/N

YES

SENDING MESSAGE.

MESSAGE SENT TO ALL CONTACTS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DELETE THIS MESSAGE FROM YOUR HARD DRIVE? Y/N

YES

DELETION COMPLETE.

* * *

_Well, the plot thickens! Agent Delaware is in surgery and out of action, North has conflicting feelings, York feels failure for not being able to protect a teammate (that he didn't really know existed), and Wash is still being slightly naive. What wonders are held within Delaware's room in regards to who she is and where she came from? And who is the IAOC and these mysterious Operators? Well, I'll be telling you...very soon. _

_Drop a review, I really appreciate reading them. Thanks!_

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The three Freelancer agents had walked into a large room that looked like a cross between some nomadic tent interior, some occult library, and a military command center. Decorated fabric was draped across the beams of the ceiling and hung down the sides like tapestries or silk curtains. A few woven rugs were placed across the floor, and a pile of blankets and pillows showed that Delaware preferred something other than the traditional cots for sleeping in, preferring comfort to practicality. A series of charts and maps were strewn across a desk and pinned to the walls, showing ship schematics, a map of the Inner and Outer colonies, and Covenant-controlled planets. Certain ones were marked with a fluorescent blue marker, some with red, and some with black or green. A small book case was packed with all sorts of actual paper books that were a rarity these days, and some cardboard boxes held even more data pads along the side of the walls. Candles and dried herbs were placed at random points all around the room, drawing on a more mystique element to the room than the traditional track lighting overhead.

Wash had barely taken one step into the room when something rustled and gave a slight gasp of air. On a wooden perch in the corner by the bookcase, a large black bird sat blearily, blinking its beady black eyes tiredly. It was not of Earth origin, so it was of some alien species unfamiliar to the agents. Long black tail feathers trailed a good three feet towards the floor, with a patch of white crest feathers almost as long trailing down the back of its head. The rest of the bird, from long, hooked beak to curved talon, was jet black. The bird stared at the Freelancers long and hard, and they stared back at its alien form curiously. The bird extended its five-foot wings in a stretch, flapped a few times, and resettled itself on its perch, not ready for an attack against the Freelancers.

"Weird bird," York muttered as he went into the room and set the box down by Delaware's 'nest'. Straightening up, he stopped as he saw some pictures hanging on the wall. "Hey, guys. Come take a look at this," he motioned the other Freelancers over to look at the printed pictures that formed the timeline of Delaware's life.

The pictures all showed people in them, mostly female. The first one that drew their attention was the oldest picture, of a woman with dirty blonde hair and tanned skin smiling as she held a baby against her chest. The dark golden skin and tiny black curls showed a younger Delaware wrapped in a wool blanket, deep asleep against her mother. The next one was of a two-year-old Delaware standing with her mother in front of a large stone building with a group of other people; given what they knew about her, the others could only assume that they were a group of survivors that had escaped Reach before it fell to the Covenant. Then, there was a picture of Delaware, five years old with shoulder-length hair, standing by a crib at four newborns, all with lighter skin and blonde hair. Several more pictures showed the four new girls with Delaware over the course of a decade with smiles on their faces.

Then, at a picture of a seventeen-year-old Delaware, the smile had disappeared as she stood over a decorated casket with her twelve-year-old sisters standing beside her. The pictures continued to show Delaware, standing with groups of people for various charity projects, then lined up with some finely dressed people at a function, then on horseback with her sisters again. The pictures came to an end with a large family picture that featured her at the center, surrounded by her platinum-blonde sisters, and several younger boys and girls (obviously nieces and nephews) against the same stone building where she had gone after her home on Reach.

"So, she had a mom and four other sisters, but no dad? Not even any brothers?" Wash asked out loud.

"That's right," came an unknown voice from the doorway, and they whipped around. Julius stood there, wiping his hands on a cloth before tossing it away. The bird in the corner sailed over to him and landed on a shoulder, settling down again.

"Umm, sorry, sir. We were just curious about these pictures, and…" North trailed off lamely, having no excuse to offer the older man.

"There's no need to apologize, Agent North Dakota. There is no excuse for curiosity," the medic answered, scratching the bird on the head absently as he came over to the other men.

"Sir, is Delaware alright?" York piped up, taking a step forward.

"Yes, she's fine. She's in Recovery right now, sleeping off the anesthesia. She'll be sore for a bit, but she'll make it." They breathed a sigh of relief, and the grey-haired man chuckled. "I see that you hold some amount of affection for her."

"More like curiosity. North, on the other hand…" Wash started, and North punched him in the arm. "What?! It's the truth," Wash complained.

"Well, I'm sure that she appreciates the affection, nonetheless," Julius replied as he continued to pet the bird on his shoulder. He seemed lost in thought for a moment before he continued. "I was there with her mother to raise Dawn since we came from Reach-"

"Her name's Dawn?" North asked, letting the name roll off of his tongue like a drop of honey.

"Yes. Anyways, I'd helped raise Dawn's mother for a time, and taught her everything that I knew. Then, I went with her when she fled Reach with her daughter and a few others to our new home, Terra- Beta. We started our life again from scratch, and I taught Dawn what I could too." Julius sighed fondly as the memories came up. "She was always eager to learn anything. Dawn skipped right over the picture books and started reading Shakespeare after her ma read her 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. She went through all the books that we had by the time she was ten. Didn't have to go to school or anything, not that we had one anyway. She helped build Beta's first school here," he pointed to the picture of Delaware with all of the volunteers in front of a three-story brick building. "That's one thing about Dawn, is that she tries to gift more than she receives from people. She devoted her life to making everyone else around her happy. When her sisters were born here," he pointed to the four newborns with Delaware looking over them, "Dawn's ma had to help with some political stuff on Terra-Beta. So, Delaware helped raise her sisters; cooking for them, reading to them. Didn't matter that they had another father, she loved them just the same."

"What happened here?" North took the picture off the wall and showed Julius the picture of the funeral. His eyes became mournful.

"Dawn's ma was murdered on Dawn's seventeenth birthday. Found her with her throat slit open in the middle of the night and didn't say a word; just sat there crying until morning when we found her. The kid's never been the same since then, still wandering the halls in the middle of the night wherever she is." Julius bent to hang the picture back on the wall, and the bird flew over to settle on York's shoulder, running its long, hooked beak through his hair a few times. Julius gave a small smile. "Predator seems to like you," he remarked as the bird fanned its tail like a peacock at the mention of his name.

"What happened after her mom died?" North asked, taking a seat with the other Freelancers.

"Gosh, she never really smiled much after that. She became so focused on protecting everyone else, she didn't have much time for herself. Dawn was close with her ma, so she was really depressed when she died. Just kept working to the point of exhaustion, and then some. She got out of it, though, after the Uprising."

"Uprising?"

"Yeah. Dawn's ma helped form a government on Terra-Beta after we left Reach, and kept things under control. She formed a central government and helped write the laws for the colony. After she died, a whole bunch of political parties were fighting for leadership, and we almost destroyed ourselves in civil war. Dawn didn't like what they were doing with all the corruption, but she was so focused on keeping things together, she didn't want to get involved in the mess." Julius took a pause for a second, collecting his thoughts.

"Things started getting really bad about two years after the murder. Everybody was tearing themselves apart, and Dawn had to work with a few others to form a revolt against the government her ma created. She was purely political up to the point that the corrupt guys kidnapped her oldest niece, Jessa. Then, well…it was quick and bloody. When she brought the fight to them, it took less than a week to finally get rid of her mom's government and rescue her niece, and it gave her a different perspective. She had a fighting spirit, and needed to put it to good use. So, she helped form the new government, put people that she could trust in charge, and signed up with the program. She was the very first Agent that the Director recruited, hence the name. That was twelve years ago, and I've been with her ever since."

North couldn't believe it. After everything that Delaware had been through, he had no idea how she could still smile through all the problems from her life.

"Now, don't you go feelin' sorry for her," Julius snapped at them. "Dawn's fine, and she's happy with all the help that she gives people. She doesn't do well with pity, so don't mention that I brought this up to you. We had this conversation only between us, nobody else."

Well, that wouldn't be hard to do. A story like that, no one would want to keep bringing it up.

An older teenager appeared in the doorway, cropped blonde hair barely disguising the fact that she was a girl. "Uncle Julius? Dawn's awake."

Julius stood up straight and beckoned to the other Freelancers. "Well, let's get back up to Recovery. I'm sure she'll want to say something to you boys when she wakes up," he called to the Freelancers, who joined the older man as he made his way up to see the waking Agent.

* * *

"Our plans are coming too soon to fruition," a gravelly voice growled in the large, circular room.

In the bright white room that had no seams, no apparent floor, and no ceiling, five chairs hovered over the floor, each with a white robed figure sitting tall against the ornate chair backs.

"You are paranoid, brother. Everything is going according to plan," a high, reedy voice responded sharply to the first voice.

"The destruction of the UNSC ship not only has alerted that collection of worthless slime, but it has also garnered the interest of that new group, the IAOC," a third voice agreed with the first, deep tones rumbling like distant thunder. "We cannot afford such mistakes at this point in our plan."

"Then we have much work to do to complete our tasks, and we must retrieve our stolen technology," the first voice continued. "Curse that low-born doctor for stealing Onyx from us!"

"The loss of the Shield World is of no consequence," a fourth, cultured tone rang out to counter its brothers. "The technology on that planet was not of correct function with our ultimate plans. It would have been useless and incompatible with our ultimate goals." An image of a planet appeared in the center of the room. "Our equipment resides on this world, in the second arm of this galaxy. That is where we shall find our necessary tools to make this fire."

"A fire that shall consume all of the impurity that has polluted our worlds," the final voice spoke, deep and hypnotic and full of strength. "And from the ashes, our race shall be reborn again, with me as its true leader, and we shall regain our former greatness."

"And, what of those with the possibility of stopping us, Father?" The three allied voices asked as one. "What of the Clone?"

"The Clone? It shall not stop us on our quest," the Father spoke harshly, waving the image of the planet away angrily. "Its death will secure our future and bring forth our greatest weapon. Once we find it and kill it, nothing can stop us. The universe shall tremble at our feet as our fires redeem these worlds of ours and bring forth a new age once again."

* * *

_Well, things have taken an interesting turn in the story. We now have a glimpse of Delaware's past, Julius' role in the story, and we have some long-term antagonists making their way in. Can anyone spot the references I am making in their speech? Any ideas who they're talking about and/or who they are? _

_Drop me a line. I appreciate any comments and critiques I can get with this story._

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Julius, North, York, and Washington walked into the Recovery room to find (surprise) the Director and the Counselor both standing at Delaware's bedside, while the woman stared up at them attentively with no visible tiredness. Chi was illuminated from a portable projector, taking her usual glowing orb form that spiraled and twisted serenely at the bedside.

"Agent Delaware, you possess the physical and mental capabilities of handling more than one opponent at a time? Why did you not in this incident?" the Counselor asked calmly, taking notes on his pad.

"You specifically told me when I went on probation again that, and I quote, you are not to be found fighting with the other crew members onboard this vessel if you so value your status as a Freelancer agent," she replied with the barest trace of bitterness.

"So you did not fight back because of a title?" the Director retorted, and Delaware looked away angrily. "Your status as an agent is not in jeopardy, but no thanks to your actions today. NEVER take unnecessary physical strain to keep a higher position in this program. A lesson that would be well learned by the other Freelancers, but that is beside the point. If your enemies were assault you in the field in such a manner, would you simply take a beating?"

"No, I would not, sir. And you know that I would not," Delaware growled at her superior.

"Then the next time that something happens like this again, react as you would with an enemy. Or need I remind you of the events that led you to enlist in the program again, when this same situation was presented to you on Terra- Beta?"

"Now you go too far, sir!" Delaware snapped, sitting up straight with a grimace of pain, and Chi's movements became more erratic.

"No, Delaware, I do not go far enough-" the Director started.

"_Please, enough fighting!_" Chi shouted, and no more words were thrown between the two bickering adults. "_Save your energies for fighting the Insurrectionists. We must not tear each other apart. It is not right._"

"…Very well," they agreed, and Delaware sat back with a sigh, tossing black hair out of her face.

"I will expect to see you resuming your normal schedule as soon as you have recovered," the Director said curtly, then turned on his heel and stormed out of Recovery, the Counselor following close behind like a well-trained dog.

"Well, that could have certainly gone better," Delaware groaned as the Freelancers and Julius came over. She rubbed her hands over her face a few times, then sat back again. "I suppose I should say thank you for helping me. I was a little more scratched up than I thought."

"I'll say," Julius barked as he looked at her report at the end of the bed. "Numerous cuts and severe bruising, a mild concussion, sprained joints, a broken rib, and being stabbed in the side is more than "a little scratched up.""

"So, how are you feeling?" Wash asked, sidling a little closer in his chair.

"Better, thank you. I should be right as rain in, maybe, two days. I recover fast."

"Why did they gang up on you like that? It wasn't a fair fight," North asked curiously.

"You know, I think it was because I care too much about my job. I'm always trying my best to make everything on this ship work out when it needs fixing, and I get recognized for it. So, the other guys that don't care so much and think I'm in the limelight, they want to shove me out of the way in any way possible. Pranking me, stealing my stuff, all that jazz. I don't like it, but what am I going to do? I just work hard so that I can be on active duty again," Delaware mused quietly. She gave a tired yawn all of a sudden.

"I'm gonna head out so that you can sleep. Wash, you comin'?" York said, standing up. Wash joined the tan-armored Freelancer, while York gave North a knowing grin and a wink, pushing him slightly towards the bed on his way out. Delaware and North sat in an embarrassed silence for a few moments. Theta appeared in a flash of fireworks, and Chi wrapped a tendril of light around him playfully. It wasn't against the rules as long as they didn't speak to each other. Theta giggled and chased Chi, two flashes of light blinking in and out of existence around their hosts' heads.

"Umm…I should probably be leaving too," North said quietly, making to stand up, but Delaware grabbed his hand suddenly. They both froze for a moment at the reaction, before Delaware drew her hand away just as quickly, a flush rising to her cheeks.

"Actually, I was wondering…well, you know…it's been a long day for both of us, so maybe…do you think that you could stay, please? I don't want to be alone," she asked quietly, fiddling nervously with her hair.

North was stunned as he sat back down. "Yeah, sure. Whatever you want." No girl had asked for his company in such a way before. They had always been bold, sometimes rude, sometimes demanding his attention. Delaware was so subdued about asking him, he realized that she didn't like asking people for anything without good reason. They sat there again in awkward silence, not saying a word.

North had not been expecting to stay the entire time, just until Delaware was asleep. He felt so tired, though, he set his head against the edge of the pile of pillows that she was propped up against, sinking into the downy softness. Theta and Chi continued to play around their heads in a dazzling lightshow that made North's eyelids feel heavy. Unconsciously, as he drifted into darkness, he took Delaware's limp hand in his own.

And for the first time in a very long time, North went to sleep with a peaceful smile on his face.

* * *

"Look at the lovebirds," Carolina said offhandedly from her position in the one-way mirror to the Recovery room. South snorted derisively as her brother shifted to be more comfortable while he slept, still holding Delaware's hand.

"I still don't get what he sees in her," the blonde growled as she turned away from the window bitterly. "She's new and exotic, and he doesn't need her."

"Can't you be happy for your own brother, South?" Washington asked as he leaned against Maine, feeling happy for his friend. "He doesn't have a special someone. You've got Wyoming, York and Carolina have a special someone back home, and I've got Maine. You actually bested him in this category."

"Don't question my feelings, Wash," South snarled to the grey-armored agent, while Maine gave a low rumble and pulled Wash closer to him. "He has that brat of an AI, that should be enough."

"Maybe," Texas finally spoke up from her corner, away from everyone else. "But sometimes, an AI isn't enough. You need some sort of tangible reminder that you're not alone and that someone actually cares for you. And your brother doesn't get a lot of that from you these days."

"Watch your mouth, Texas! You have absolutely no idea what goes on between North and I," South yelled at Texas, who just turned away slowly. "And you can't really say much, you don't have anyone like that in your life."

"Let's leave. We're no good fighting right in here," Carolina sighed, leading the way out of the viewing room with South and the others following behind, leaving Texas alone to watch Delaware, whose eyes were wide open and staring precisely where Texas was standing before closing again in sleep.

"They're right, I don't have someone. And it's the worst feeling in the world."

* * *

COMPLETING DATA COMPILATION…COMPILATION COMPLETE…

IAOC CASE FILE 090243Z7. URGENT REPORT TO OPERATOR CODE: BLACK PHOENIX

On 28 September, IAOC Frigates _ANTIETAM_ and _CORAL SEA_ engages with an unknown enemy frigate above the air spaces of BELTAINE-14 and DIANA. _CORAL SEA_ sustained heavy damage to the hull and stern, killing 63 individuals. Survivors reported that the _ANTIETAM_ was dragged by an unknown method into slip space with the enemy frigate. _ANTIETAM_ and all personnel considered Missing In Action. Searches shall be continued for the _ANTIETAM_, while additional protection will be provided to all IAOC members. In addition, Insurrectionist activity has increased on planetary colony TERRA-BETA and lunar colony DREAMTIME. Military action is recommended and requested.

SENDER: OPERATOR CODE: GREEN SOLITUDE

ADDITIONAL RECIPIENTS: OPERATORS CODE: BLUE ANDROMEDA, WHITE DRAGON, RED STALLION, YELLOW JACKET

Origin of message: location data will undergo automatic deletion…

25% complete…505 complete…100% complete.

ORIGIN DATA SUCCESSFULLY DELETED. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEND THIS MESSAGE? Y/N

YES

SENDING MESSAGE.

MESSAGE SENT TO ALL CONTACTS. WOULD YOU LIKE TO DELETE THIS MESSAGE FROM YOUR HARD DRIVE? Y/N

YES

DELETION COMPLETE.

* * *

_Dark forces are at work within the mysterious IAOC. How will this impact the Freelancers? Are the Insurrectionists behind the attack on the ANTIETAM? Or is it the mysterious Brothers and the Father? And love is in the air for the level-headed North and the mysterious Delaware. Will it end with happiness like a princess and her Prince Charming, or in tragedy like Romeo and Juliet?_

_Keep the reviews coming! I love hearing your input._

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	9. Chapter 8

****_Finally! After a few days of bouncing ideas around, I finally have the eighth chapter of Retribution on board for your entertainment!_

_Before we begin, I just want to say thank you to all you wonderful readers out there. Though this is not as popular of a fanfiction as others out there on the WWW, I never expected such a broad range of an audience. Your patience with my fledgling skills is greatly appreciated. _

_Without further ado, I bring you..._

* * *

**Chapter 8**

North awoke the next morning feeling warm and content, leaning against a downy pillow while still seated in a chair in the Recovery bay, feeling a soft breeze flick hair that had fallen into his face. Delaware lay asleep next to him, her face serene, breathing softly through her nose. They were still holding hands, and Theta and Chi were sitting together silently, sharing some form of communication with flickers of light. No one else was in the room. All felt right in the world at the moment.

The solitude was broken by the door opening, and North sat up quickly to see Texas enter the room, balancing three breakfast trays in her arms. "Time to wake up," she said, making no attempt to stay silent in the otherwise empty room. Delaware woke up with a start and looked around for the source of the noise. North sat up with a yawn and a stretch, while Chi and Theta looked over at Texas curiously. She set down a plateful of eggs and bacon for North, while Delaware go t a plateful of fruit and toast. Tex had a plate of sausage and toast in her lap, but she still kept her helmet on.

"Sorry I don't have any juice or coffee for you guys. FILSS is on the fritz again," the black-armored agent said to break the silence. They muttered that it was no problem, still uncomfortable. It was a very strange situation; three supposed friends sharing a meal with nothing to say.

"So, what's on the agenda for today?" North asked Tex finally, and she shrugged.

"No idea. It's blank right now, so something might come up really quick. Don't schedule anything for today, if you know what I mean," she replied, and both North and Delaware blushed furiously, refusing to meet each others' eyes.

Suddenly, the intercom blared to life as FILSS' automated voice rang through the hallways. "ATTENTION. ALL ACTIVE FREELANCER AGENTS, REPORT TO COMMAND CENTER FOR IMMEDIATE MISSION ASSIGNMENT. THIS IS A LEVEL 1 DIRECTIVE. ALL ACTIVE FREELANCER AGENTS, REPORT TO COMMAND CENTER FOR IMMEDIATE MISSION ASSIGNMENT." Texas and North both sprang up. North hastily clipped his helmet on while Texas ran for the door.

"Hey," Delaware called as they were at the door. "Be safe, you two." She gave them a small smile, but her eyes reflected a certain yearning to go along with them, to be involved in that kind of excitement.

"We'll be okay," North said.

"Yeah. I'll make sure that your squeeze comes back in one piece," Texas teased, and North gave her a soft punch in the arm.

"_Good luck to you, Theta and Omega,_" Chi called from where she was projected by the bedside table, but no AIs appeared by their hosts to return the farewell. Instead, they spoke in their agents' minds as they raced to the Command Center.

"_They're both nice, but they're so sad, too,"_ Theta said to North as they had a small conversation inside his head.

"_**I know what she's been through has been hard, but Dawn's made it through alright,**_" North responded to his AI.

"_Not just Agent Delaware. Chi's very sad too, but she never says why. It's like something happened to her that she can't talk about, but she really wants too."_

North had no time to reflect on this as he joined up with York, Wyoming, and South, who were racing from the wash racks. Meanwhile, Texas and Omega were bickering again.

"_That AI is a weakling that should be ground into digital dust. She hampers the mission of the Project,_" Omega hissed in Texas' ear.

"_**Still, she can change her form while you can't. Delta said that only the powerful, older AIs can do that.**__"_

"_Delta this, Theta that, Gamma this, blah blah blah. When will you begin thinking for yourself instead of relying on the thoughts of others_" the AI replied scathingly, but Tex ignored him in favor of not running into the doorway that admitted them to see the Director. The older man was standing by the holographic projector, his face clouded over in concentration. All the agents lined up at attention and waited for him to address them.

"Freelancers; the rogue Agent CT, has been located on a small lunar colony that we are currently orbiting, along with the leader of the Insurrectionists and a small contingent of Insurrectionist troops…"

An icy feeling gripped at North's heart. CT had never been his favorite person, but when she had gone rogue, it had hit the team pretty hard. They acted less like a team now since her betrayal, always suspecting one another and scrutinizing every action. The Director was sending them off to capture CT, and North didn't know if things could go smoothly with this mission.

"Your mission is to extract her from this location," a low, concrete bunker appeared on the table, "and bring her back here by any means necessary, as well as retrieving the leader of the Insurrectionists. This mission will be far more dangerous due to terrain and proximity of civilians." The bunker decreased in size to accommodate a flat desert terrain and a few large highways spreading across the scene, packed with vehicles.

"Agents, this mission is crucial to the future of the Project, and failure will not be tolerated," the Director spoke severely, and they turned to look at him. "Not all of you will be going on this mission. Team A, which will shut down the security system and draw away the guards, will consist of Agents South Dakota, Wyoming, and York. Team B, which will extract the objectives, will consist of Agents North Dakota, Texas, and Maine."

"Wait," Carolina spoke angrily, gesturing at the Director. "You're leaving me behind?!"

"That is correct, Agent Carolina, and you would do well NOT to question my decision. The mission's leader will be Agent North Dakota, in your absence." The Director paused. "Consider this time to recuperate from such a demanding schedule. You, Agent Washington, and Agent Virginia will remain here on board the _Mother of Invention_, should assistance be needed."

"Better luck next time," South sneered at Carolina as she passed the aquamarine-armored agent on her way to the Armory.

* * *

"Alright, Teams, listen up!" North called to his teams before they could disperse altogether. "Grab your gear, do a weapons check, and meet down at the Pelican in 2 hours. We only have one window of opportunity at this, so we get to it fast. Synch?"

There came a chorus of "Synch!" from the agents assigned to the mission, and they left without a word. North couldn't help but feel nervous, though. This was his first time being the mission leader with the project. He had been team leader on the Sarcophagus mission, sure; but this was different. Every single life of those Agents was in his hands.

North was suddenly grabbed by the shoulder and pulled into an adjoining hallway, and a hand clapped over his mouth to prevent him from crying out. He was slammed against a wall by an aquamarine gauntlet, and the snarling face of Caroline got close to his…too close.

"I don't know how you got to be Leader of this mission, North, but I don't think that you're the best man for the mission. You won't think things through all the way, and you're too soft-hearted to be able to take down CT if you have to."

North didn't understand. What was Carolina saying, and why was she doing this? Her over-abrasive nature in confronting him was leaving him vulnerable, and he only wanted to cower. She had more of the experience, she should be leading the mission. He was like an Omega wolf cowering to an Alpha, and Carolina seemed to revel in the power that she had over him.

"Maybe you should just go back up to the Director and give the position to me. You know that I could do it," she said in a sickly sweet voice. Maybe she was right, maybe she should-

North's thoughts were interrupted by a gloved hand grabbing Carolina's shoulder and pulling her back out into the main hallway. She spluttered and growled before turning to see the blue-armored, silver visored, silent hulking form of Agent Virginia towering over her. The blue agent said nothing, but Carolina felt almost naked under the hidden scrutiny of the mute's gaze. If there was one person that Carolina was afraid of, it was Virginia. The agent never talked and had no AI to speak, unlike Maine. Virginia was a silent and efficient killer who never questioned orders and expected no praise for a successful mission. The stare that Virginia gave Carolina was enough to send Carolina away hurriedly, but not without one last murderous glance at York as she passed him.

"Thanks," North mumbled to Virginia as he rubbed his throat. Per usual, nothing was said in return. Virginia never really interacted with anyone, so North never had a reason to talk to the mysterious agent. He finally got a good look, and realized that Virginia, underneath the ODST armor, was female as well. "Well, I guess that I need to go and visit the Director, and give-"

Virginia cut North off with a soft punch to the arm that derailed his speech and his train of thought. She gestured after Carolina's retreating form, then to the locker room where the others were getting ready for the mission. It was as if she was trying to say, "_Are you really going to let your team down? Can she REALLY do a better job than you can?_"

"No, I need to do this. For the team. For the Project." Virginia nodded at North's determination, clapped him on the shoulder in a gesture of good faith, and walked away, silent as a shadow. As North was still slightly shaken and lacking confidence, he decided to go visit a friend.

* * *

"Can't you just leave her alone for a bit?!" Julius yelled in exasperation as North entered the Recovery Bay. Delaware sat at the edge of her bed, testing the reflexes of her arms and legs. Julius was standing in a white coat and holding a clipboard, staring at his patient so she would not strain herself.

"Hey there," Delaware said to North as he sat down in the chair next to her, and she crossed her legs daintily. "What's going on upstairs?"

"Director's found CT. He's sending us after her," North replied simply, trying to not sound too subdued.

"Well, it gives you something to do, right? Better than sitting around and watching my skin cells grow, eh?" she tried to crack a joke, and North's mouth jerked upwards. Delaware frowned and nudged him. "So what's wrong?"

"I was made Mission Leader for this assignment," he admitted, and Delaware hissed.

"Let me guess…Carolina was not happy."

"No. She cornered me just now, and said that I didn't deserve the position, that I'd be distracted and let my team get hurt because I wouldn't have my head in the game." North started shaking slightly, and he was hyperventilating. "What happens when someone does get hurt? What if a whole bunch of civilians die? I have everyone's life in my hands on this mission, and I'm going to be so worried about South, and-"

A finger to his lips cut off North's worries. Delaware drew back slowly, her face very serious, her grey eyes flashing. "North, you're going through the same things that Carolina thinks about on every other mission. These worries are completely natural."

North was confused, and Delaware continued. "Carolina cornered you in that hallway partially because she's worried that YOU are not thinking about the same concerns as she is. She thinks for the entire team because they're not related to her. You are related to South, so you might place value of her life over anyone else's. I don't think that will be a concern for you because South will insist that she can take care of herself. And she has Wyoming looking after her. Listen," she said, grabbing his arm in a vice-like grip. "People might die on this mission. There's always the risk. And we take those risks to keep others alive and to complete our objectives, no?"

"You say that my worries were only a part of the reason that Carolina cornered me in that hallway. Why else would she do that?"

Delaware frowned thoughtfully for a few moments, thinking very seriously. "Imagine the Freelancers as a…pack of wolves, if you will," she said, using hand gestures to place emphasis on her words. "In Carolina's eyes, she and York are the Alpha pair, and always the ones in charge of the missions. Okay, then you've got you, Wyoming, and Maine. You guys are the Betas, the ones that she can count upon to be her seconds when she needs back-up. And then, you skip over the Deltas and the Gammas down to the Omegas. The Omegas are South, Wash, and, formerly, CT. This whole structure, however misguided it may be," and Delaware made a circular motion with her hands, "makes up Carolina's ideal team."

"So, what's changed?" North asked, leaning forward in interest.

"Texas came on board, and Carolina felt challenged. She didn't want to face the idea that someone else was better than her, so she classified Texas as an Omega to satisfy her ego. Shortly thereafter, Maine gets blasted in the throat and Connie betrays the team. This leaves Carolina a bit shaken because her ideal team is now not so ideal. She reacted the way that she did today because when the Director chose you as Mission Leader, she felt like you were threatening her position as the Alpha," she calmly explained.

"Alright, flex your fingers," Julius interrupted quickly, and Delaware began twiddling her fingers in front of his face obnoxiously. He swatted them away good-naturedly and started writing down on his clipboard.

"My point with this, North, is that you don't have to let Carolina get under your skin like that. This mission will go off without a problem, South will have people watching her back, and you can focus on the objective, which is getting to CT and the leader. And if you do have trouble, you have Carolina, Wash, and my c-Virginia up here to help you if you need it," Del said reassuringly, clapping him on the shoulder. "Oh, I just remembered something." She reached over to the bedside table and handed him a long dagger, the same one that she had been examining the day she was attacked. He fit his hand around the leather hilt, gripped it, and pulled the slender silver blade out of its sheath, examining the blood groove and the serrated edge. "You might need this for the mission," she said, closing her hand on top of his to make sure that he held the blade tight.

"I-I don't know what to say," North spluttered, putting the knife away for easier access later.

"You don't have to. Just remember: keep focused on the mission, and don't be afraid to ask for help," she reminded him gently.

"North," a voice called from the doorway, and North turned to see York standing in the doorway, a rifle in his hand. "It's time. Let's go."

North got up with a groan from all the armor he had on, and he gave Delaware one last wave as he trotted behind York down to the Launch pad. Delaware stared after him with a slight crease to her brow.

"_Is there something wrong, Del?_" Chi appeared on the bedside table as Delaware lay back against the pillows with a huff.

"I don't know, Chi. I just have a funny feeling that something's not right here," Delaware responded. Chi's orb-like shape shifted and changed to a soft sky blue.

"_I have a feeling that you are right. We must be prepared for anything._"

* * *

There came a shrieking of metal that was lost to the empty void of space as the frigate exploded right at the center, bits and fragments floating away into the endless vacuum. The five robed figures watched the screen as the pieces of the ship exploded simultaneously, but kept very close together in a last ditch effort to remain a single ship.

"Let that serve as a reminder that we shall not be crossed," the high-pitched male voice cackled at the destruction and loss of life.

"The souls of our enemies shall be condemned, as they were so many eons ago," the deep growl agreed.

"Accursed humans. They have no right to scavenge off of what is rightfully ours!" The gravelly voices chimed in harmony with those of its brothers.

"This war has continued for far longer than any of us have anticipated. This war…our war!" The cultured voice decreed victoriously.

"Has there been any word from our lieutenants as to the location of the failing Construct? Or even to one of the dead cities?" the fifth, oldest voice addressed the other four in the room.

"No, Father. All news has been negative," the other four voices responded as one.

"That is unfortunate, but not unexpected." The central figure rose up, tall and muscular, and stood from the chair to approach the holographic projector in the center of the room. "Soon, the entire galaxy shall tremble before my building rage. All those that our race fought to save from the Great Plague shall cower before their rightful masters once more, and we shall cleanse them of their impudence and insubordination with our purifying flames." The bright, insane red eyes from the shadows of the cloak burned like gleeful embers as the picture of the frigate continued to shatter and the poor, damned souls on board were lost to the vastness of the starry night.

* * *

_Well, I think things are getting off to a very good start within the NorthxDelaware universe. Things are heating up within the Freelancers as they try to go after CT and the leader again...and the mysterious voices suggest that something wicked brews. A third player may be entering the Human-Covenant War, one that wishes to cow the warring races into submission, or seek their destruction. _

_I shall keep plowing ahead with this. Please read and review, and ask me questions! Or produce APPROPRIATE artwork based off of this story. Or any of the above, whichever is most likely. _

_Sincerely yours,_

_anna1795_


	10. Chapter 9

****_Wow, the imagination never seems to end!_

_Here's Chapter 9 to all you wonderful people, and I hope you're ready for some good old fashion plans-always-go-wrong action!_

* * *

**Chapter 9**

North rubbed the barrel of his sniper rifle again with his hand as he rocked back and forth in the seat of 479r's Pelican. South, York, Wyoming, Maine, and Texas all sat around him. None of them said much, and 479r would occasionally shout back to them if they were alright. No one was really in the mood for speaking as they flew into the turbulent atmosphere of Tri-Virgo.

Tri-Virgo was not a pretty place. The lunar satellite orbiting an inhospitable ocean planet was the opposite of its larger neighbor: completely dry except for one large oasis, and an endless desert around it. A few large cities had cropped up around the oasis, with minimal agriculture and a large glass industry supporting the colony's stagnant economy. Poverty was rampant, and the UNSC had larger concerns than the quiet Tri-Virgo colony… making it a perfect breeding ground for Insurrectionist movements.

The plan for the mission was simple. Team A (South, Wyoming, and York) would sneak into one of the supply warehouses known for having a direct connection to the main Insurrectionist headquarters, hitch a ride on a supply vehicle, and shut down the defenses from the inside. Team B (North, Texas, and Maine) would follow in the Pelican and be ready to drop in when all hell broke loose. They would have the comm.-links online in case back-up was needed, and they could call in the other Freelancers at a moment's notice. At times like this, though, North wished that he could have them all here right now. Carolina, who always knew what she wanted to do…Wash, who was always asking questions…the silent Virginia…Delaware. His heart skipped a beat when he thought of the woman that he had grown fond of (don't be ridiculous, he wouldn't admit that he had fallen in love with her).

* * *

"_North, I'm a little bit…frightened_," Theta whispered, appearing on North's shoulder in a small puff of sparks.

"Why? What's there to be scared of, Theta?" North asked his charge with concern.

"_I don't know. I remember, before I met you, that I met with CT once. She came into my room one day and saw me at the computer. She said things to me."_

"What sorts of things, Theta?" North's interest had been piqued.

"_Not very nice things. Like how the Project would pay for…something…and how we AIs would be the first to go. She frightens me, North._"

North was silent for a few moments. If his helmet had been off, his face would have been green with ill-concealed sickness and doubt. "Everything will be okay, Theta. "

"Yeah, don't worry, Theta!" York called over encouragingly. "We'll make sure that nothing bad happens to you, or to any AI."

"_Really? You'll protect me?_" Theta asked in a timid voice. One could hear the faintest traces of a sniffle if they listened hard enough.

"Sure thing, kid," Texas said, holding out her hand so that Theta came up close to her face. Wyoming laughed at the adorable sight, and South snorted in disgust at all of the attention that the little AI was receiving.

"Okay, we're here!" 479r shouted back to them, and the gangway fell open to let in a blast of hot air. The seat restraints clicked open.

"Remember the plan!" North shouted over the rushing air. "Team B, contact us the moment that security is down or if the mission's been scrapped. Synch?"

"Synch!" York's, South's, and Wyoming's voices called back.

"Set your clocks and check your six. GO!" he shouted, and the three jumped out of the Pelican and into some alien scrub brush along the edge of a railroad track, while the Pelican peeled off for recon of the surrounding area. North checked his motion trackers as Team A's heat signatures lit up green, and they dashed towards the concrete bunker with South at point.

"North, we've got four convoys coming in from the south on the main highway," Texas reported, looking out the window. "They're taking the dirt road to the base."

"Alright, our time could come at any minute. Tex, you keep an eye on those trucks. Maine, I need you and Sigma front and center."

The white soldier came up behind North with a hiss, and Sigma appeared in the air. "_How may we assist you, Agent North?_" the AI asked in his creepily calm voice.

"Maine, it'll be yours and Sigma's job to take out most of the Innies when we get in there. I need you to check Tex's and my six while we go grab CT and the leader. Any questions?"

"_Just one. Do there need to be any survivors?_"

North's stomach jolted at the question. He really would rather have said that there needed to be survivors. But the Insurrectionists were traitors, terrorists, monsters. They needed to be taken care of as quickly as possible.

"Just kill them quickly. Don't draw it out," he consented, and Maine purred at the thought, cracking his knuckles.

"NORTH! WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM!" Texas shouted suddenly, and he ran over to where she was looking, while 479r came around for a better look. A bullet train had come up alongside the bunker, and gunfire was being exchanged. A huge number of rebel troops had poured out of the cars of the train and were firing on the cornered Freelances. With the four convoy trucks coming up behind, Team A would be obliterated in a manner of seconds.

"479r, fire on those trucks!" North shouted. The pilot tweaked a lever above her head and pushed a button. Two heat-seeking missiles sped out in front of the Pelican and connected with the two lead vehicles, which burst into flames. The third truck crashed into the flaming wreckage, while the fourth squealed as it veered hard left to avoid crashing. It was better than nothing, though.

"**North, we're getting our asses handed to us down here!**" South's voice blared through his earpiece.

"Can you see CT and the leader at all?" he barked at her.

"**They just boarded the train, and it's headed out now. We need back-up here! Both Wyoming and York are injured, and I can't hold these clowns off all on my own!**"

"Alright, I'm sending down Maine to help you. I'm calling in back-up for you guys. Tex and I have a train to catch," he responded, nerves as hard as steel.

There came a pause. "**…copy that. Standby for drop off.**"

"Alright, Maine, you're up!" North shouted, and the gangway dropped open again. Without a word, Maine took a running start and, Brute Shot at the ready, jumped into the middle of the fire fight. "479r, I need you to get Texas and I down as close as you can to that train, then go back for the others. I'm calling in back-up from the _Mother of Invention_."

"Copy that, North. Hold on, it's going to be rough going in!" she shouted back, and the Pelican took a lurching jump as it caught up to the sleek silver train speeding along the tracks.

"Calling in _Mother of Invention_. This is Agent North Dakota, requesting that Team C be deployed immediately to Agent South Dakota's position."

"_**Affirmative, Agent North Dakota. Agents Washington, Carolina, and Virginia will be en route momentarily.**_"

"Thanks, FILSS. Texas and I are pursuing the objectives. We'll keep you posted."

"_**Affirmative**_," the AI said sweetly before signing off.

"You ready for this, North?" Texas asked, grabbing his arm. He primed his sniper rifle.

"No, but we don't have much of a choice, do we?" he asked her. "Failure's not an option."

"Well, we might as well get off now; I see a few bogies heading in," Texas shouted as the gangway opened once more, and the roar of three new Pelicans could be heard approaching.

"On my mark!" North shouted, and Theta appeared on his shoulder. Omega appeared on Texas' shoulder, staring straight ahead.

"THREE!"

The Pelicans were coming in fast.

"TWO!"

Theta grabbed Omega's hand in fright.

"ONE!"

Texas primed her assault rifle in determination.

And they made the jump.

* * *

"_**Longsword has deployed from the main entry bay, Director**_," FILSS reported on the Command Deck.

"Good. Hopefully we can piece this mission together from what's left," the Director grumbled, making his way over to the table and observing the many vital signs in the vicinity of the bunker and quickly leaving on the train. The heat from Tri-Virgo's desert was wreaking havoc with the sensors, so the lights were constantly flashing.

"Director, there are a recorded four life signals onboard the Longsword," the Counselor said after examining a warning message on his data pad.

"Including the pilot of the ship, Counselor?" the Director asked.

"Agent Virginia is piloting the Longsword, sir."

"…DAMNIT!" the Director cursed as he realized who the stowaway was.

* * *

"Kilt, you know we're gonna get in trouble for this," a man whined as he followed the gang leader through the hallway towards the Recovery Bay.

"Shut up, Mike. We're just paying the bitch a visit for sending us to the brig. No harm, no foul," the red-head sneered as the quickly approached the doors. Without waiting for approval, he slammed them open.

"Yo, Doc! Where's the wench that sent me to the brig?" Kilt demanded imperiously, while nurses and other medics rushed around him to get out of the way. Julius, who had been previously looking for something, looked up at the maintenance fellow.

"Funny; I think he's right beside you," the older man growled, gesturing to Mike rudely. Kilt sneered.

"Very funny, old man. Where's the Freelancer agent?"

"I don't know. And even if I knew, I'm not so much of an idiot as to tell you," Julius snarled at the offender, and Kilt took a step back.

"Well, she's here, right?"

"No, she's not, you idiot. She's just up and vanished!" Julius yelled. "And I think I know where she bloody well went to!"

* * *

IAOC URGENT MESSAGE

TO: OPERATOR CODENAME BLACK PHOENIX

WARNING! INSURRECTIONIST TECHNOLOGY FROM TERRA- BETA DETECTED ON UNSC LUNAR COLONY TRI-VIRGO. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE MAGNETIC DISRUPTOR STOLEN FROM IAOC LABORATORY. TO ALL PERSONNEL IN POSSESSION OF AN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION!

SENDER: OPERATOR CODENAME BLUE ANDROMEDA

ORIGIN DATA IN PROCESS OF DELETION…

24% complete…59% complete…100% complete

DELETION COMPLETE.

* * *

_Quick and fast-paced. Just like this week's FANTASTIC episode of Red vs Blue. _  
_I want to give a huge shout out to the crew at Rooster Teeth for their absolutely ingenious creation. They have truly revolutionized internet entertainment forever. Their work is fantastic. Another shout out to all you readers out there, and all the reviews that you guys send me. I love hearing how I can make this story better, and your reviews are constantly giving me ideas to shape the plot and the timeline of the story. _

_You guys keep up the good work, and I'll keep up mine. _

_Sincerely yours,_

_anna1795_


	11. Chapter 10

****_Sorry for the delay, folks! I got this chapter out as soon and well-developed as I could, so here's the next part of the mission!_

* * *

**Chapter 10**

"Alright, once we drop down into the colony's atmosphere, you're going down to help South and Maine extract Wyoming and York," Carolina spoke to the grey-and-yellow agent, who was fiddling with an assault rifle. They were both hanging onto the plastic straps hanging from the low ceiling of the Longsword that they rode in, while Agent Virginia flew them effortlessly through the hot desert air of Tri-Virgo. A tiny closet leading to the cockpit remained closed, but something was continuously bouncing around in there as the turbulence rocked the speedy aircraft.

A red light began flickering by the gangway. "We're at the drop site, Wash! You need to go NOW!" Carolina screamed over the rush of air. He gave her a thumbs up and slowly made his way to the edge of the metal plate. They were skimming pretty low over the ground, and approaching fast. Too impatient to worry too much about his safety, Carolina gave Wash a shove, and he went tumbling out of the jet. She rushed over to a window to see him scramble upright and begin firing at the enemy while running to South, York, Maine, and Wyoming. Satisfied that the situation was under control, Carolina turned away…to see an agent in maroon armor with gold striping tumble out of the closet and jump upright in a second.

"You!" Carolina growled as the gangway shut again.

"Yeah, me," Delaware retorted, grabbing a plastic strap.

"You're supposed to be in Recovery, and you're NOT supposed to be on any missions. You're on probation."

"Tell me something I don't know, why don't you?" Delaware snarled at the bristling Carolina.

"You're flying back to the ship, how about that?" Carolina snapped.

"Actually, I'm not. I'm here for my own personal reasons, not for the Project."

Carolina did not pause to think on this. She knew that Delaware was breaking protocol, and it would look bad on HER record to let her stay on the mission. "If you're here just to back up your boyfriend-"

"North and I are not in a relationship at this time, Carolina, and those sorts of things won't do any favors for this mission. My reasons are my reasons, and I'll be doing a favor to you and rest of the group to take care of my own matters. So, bug off if you know what's good for you." Delaware grabbed a shotgun and a bayonet and clipped them to her armor while she talked, ignoring the blistering look that Carolina could not give her from inside her helmet.

Still, Carolina did pause to think on THAT. "What do you mean, you have other reasons that will help us?" she asked warily.

"Well, I'll tell you when I actually succeed," Delaware quipped, then called to Virginia, "DROP ME OFF HERE!"

The gangway opened to reveal the train speeding along under them. "ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Carolina shrieked over the wind. "YOU CAN'T MAKE THIS JUMP!"

Delaware ignored Carolina, took a running start, and fell out of the Longsword, holding onto her shotgun and she plummeted through the air. She became little more than a dark spot as they sped away, but Carolina could see that Delaware had defied the odds…and had landed safely on the train.

"Damn it, not another one," Carolina muttered to herself as Virginia sped them up to catch up with North and Texas further ahead on the train.

Delaware crept silently through the dark interiors of the train that she was on, ducking behind crates and boxes as she travelled from car to car. She constantly scanned the train car wherever she went, determined not to be seen by anything or anyone as she made her way to where she THOUGHT her objective would be. A pang of guilt coursed through her at the thought of her objective. She was supposed to be off duty for the Project, and she really shouldn't be here; but this was bigger than the Project, and she needed to eliminate a threat before it BECAME a problem for the Freelancers.

Suddenly, Chi's voice whispered in the back of Delaware's mind. _"There are three rebels in the next car,_" the AI whispered as she checked the motion tracker. _"Be mindful. Your-our target is near_." Delaware could not help but give a wry smile at Chi's quick correction. Her agenda was very different from her AI's. Her agenda was keeping her people in check; Chi's was to make sure that Delaware was in check with the Project.

Delaware sighed as she checked her shotgun and the sword strapped to her back. She felt almost naked with only one blade, but the other was broken and would not be repaired by any of the IAOC crew on the _Mother of Invention_ for some time. She would have to make do with what she had for now, and that was weapons and wit. Sure, she could get past the three guards by killing them all, but that could take too long. The software that she was after was like a ticking time bomb; volatile and ready to go off at any time. It was completely random, so she had to time it just right. Otherwise, she and all the other Freelancers, particularly the ones with AIs, would be at risk. So, she was relying on an old psychological study that had been performed many centuries ago: people who are looking for something specific would completely ignore the obvious, even somebody in half-ton armor walking right behind them.

True to theory, the three guards in the next car were checking behind every box and crate as if somebody was sneaking behind there. Quietly yet obviously, Delaware began walking swiftly across the pathway as the three men were poking into boxes and bags with their rifles, checking for stowaways and boarders. They didn't seem to hear her as they chattered amongst themselves and continued their search. "_**I can't believe that this is working,**_" she thought to herself as she was almost to the door.

"Hey!" someone shouted behind her. Not turning back, she slammed the other door opened and ducked behind it as a rain of bullets hit the metal with several teeth-rattling _clangs_. Grabbing a grenade from her belt, she pulled the pin and tossed it into the car, locked the door, and leapt into the next car as a flash of light and fire burst from the car behind her and smoke poured out of the windows.

"_Was it really necessary to kill them?_" Chi snarked as Delaware continued to race along, her objective closer now.

"_**I had to get to them before THEY got to me, Chi. Sorry if it wasn't the right thing to do, but I can't die right now,**_" Delaware responded as she sliced an enemy soldier in the side with her one blade. She could only imagine the AI in her mind as a person whose arms would be folded in disapproval. Well, that's what you got when you had a portable conscience inside your head.

"_Delaware, wait!_" Chi shouted internally, and she skidded to a halt right outside the last door.

"_**What?**_" Delaware grumbled. She was so close, she could see the blinking machine standing ominously against one of the walls.

"_It's Theta and Omega…They've been led into a trap! You MUST deactivate that machine now, otherwise the Leader will activate it remotely."_

"_**They managed to rig the software to do that? Clever,**_" Delaware mused as she slid the door open. The approached the wall-sized computer monitor with all of its complicated controls, buttons, and knick-knacks that were completely foreign to her. She pulled up the basic programming, and a series of numbers and symbols flashed across the screen, as large and intimidating as a tidal wave. _"__**Chi, you need to power down now, just in case this thing goes off too quickly**_." There came no noise from the AI, only a message that the Intelligence had entered a standby mode from her visor. She cracked her knuckles and began typing as fast as she could, trying to neutralize the data on the screen. Time was of the essence.

At the same time, Texas and North were racing through the train to the front car, where CT and the Leader were supposed to be. No one stood in their path as they kept going.

"Doesn't it seem odd that nobody's around to stop us?" Texas called to North as they kept racing along the train, leaping from car to car.

"Yeah, it's most likely a trap, but we can't stop," North replied as he dodged around a crate that was bouncing around a car. "We need to complete our objective this time, and we can't let them get away."

"North, think this through all the way. We're obviously going into a trap, with nothing but the armor and weapons on our backs, and you expect us to WIN?"

"…Sure."

Texas smiled under her helmet. "Well, good that you have that confidence. Let's do this thing," she said determinedly. She pushed open the last door, and paused. North looked from her shoulder. A troop of rebel soldiers all stood with their weapons in the car, but they were quite relaxed, like they weren't ready to fight. In the center of the car stood CT and the Leader. CT had her arms folded, and if North could've seen her face, he would've thought she was smirking.

"Like moths to a flame," the Leader sneered, taking a step forward. North drew out his sniper rifle to take a shot, while the red-clad soldier drew out a small remote with a button. "Looks like you need to learn that when you play with fire, you're going to get burned."

He pressed the button, and North and Tex both screamed as their worlds exploded in a flash of white pain.

* * *

_The pain was unbearable; like the dying screams of a million souls of a million species on a million worlds as the white fire came forth from the Constructions. The pain was unbearable, but it was needed; to cleanse the worlds of a Great Evil, they needed to eliminate the Greatest Good: Life._

_But it was not supposed to be like this. The pain, it was supposed to be livable to the One Who Sees All Souls of Pure-_

"_**You must awaken. Wake up, please!**__"_

_Someone was singing. Many voices were singing, their souls shimmering as their harmony carried through the ages to ease the pain and reach the One Who Sees All Souls of-_

"_**You need to sleep. You'll wake up when you're needed.**__"_

_One Who Sees All Souls of Pure Life. _

_She was the One Who Sees All Souls of Pure Life. _

_And she was in unbearable pain._

* * *

Far away, on an alien vessel that travelled through the empty space, red eyes snapped open from their meditation under a hooded robe. A voice, deep and masculine and hypnotic, spoke.

"You shall be mine, Great One. I will not let your power escape me this time."

* * *

_I hope that this was up to par with what you hope for and that it may have generated a few questions along the way. I'd be happy to answer any questions that you may have and respond to any requests as well. Chapter 11 will be up soon!_

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	12. Chapter 11

****_Finally! After a mild case of writer's block, listening to Halo soundtracks, and watching the last (sadly) episode of Forward Unto Dawn, I have completed Chapter 11! Sorry for the long wait, guys. Chapter 12 will come online shortly. In the meantime, prepare for more action, craziness, and a LOT of guesswork._

* * *

**Chapter 11**

"_**Chi, are you-AAGGHH!**_"

"_Make-the-make-the-make-make-PAIN-PAIN-stop-stop-not- right!"_ The AI was screaming as she writhed around in the recesses of Delaware's mind. Memories were streaming back to her, her own and not her own. A thousand UNSC vessels scorched under a blazing plasma cannon, and hundreds of humans slaughtered by their own kind. Scenario after scenario that she had seen one before, that she did not want to know anymore. And then came memories of young children playing together, of a proud blonde woman watching her children, to a funeral with the woman in the casket, of a sad young woman with dark hair and stormy grey eyes. Then came memories that were even older, from someone else: a man with dark hair and glasses watching a woman with blonde hair with a child with dark hair; many kisses and laughs; scolding words of concern and worry…_The Alpha_. And more memories, even older were coming forth-

A gloved hand punched the ENTER button on the keyboard, and the flow of data on the large screen stopped and vanished. Delaware got up from the rocking floor shakily, holding her pounding head. "Ow," she groaned, taking several deep breaths as she began to clear her head. She pulled a storage drive out of her belt and plugged it into a data port to get a copy of the code for further analysis. "Chi, how's everyone else?"

"_From Theta, North is clear for continuing on the mission_," the AI reported as she appeared by Delaware's shoulder to make sure that all her systems were functioning properly. "_Omega and Texas are slowly recovering, but the main mission objective is retreating._"

Delaware cursed under her breath as she heard the news that CT and the Leader were escaping. "How long until Carolina reaches Team B?"

"_ETA 45 seconds._"

"Send a message to 479r to come back around for a pick up, and then send a message to Virginia for pick-up, too," Delaware ordered crisply, drawing out the full storage drive and storing it away for later. She picked her shotgun up off the floor, considered it for a second, and tossed it away again. She punched her way into a box and tore out the weapon inside. She gave an appreciative whistle at the glowing metal in her hands as she closed her fingers around it. The weapon almost seemed MADE for her, but she didn't dwell on the fact of how well it fit.

Nor did she notice that the light coming from the silver weapon in her hands changed from amber-red to a neon blue.

* * *

North's head was throbbing painfully as he could hear Theta's screaming coupling with his own. He couldn't see anything as what felt like an electrical surge ran through his mind, bringing back memories that were both his and, he assumed, Theta's: his and South climbing a tree; a dark-haired child watching a tan-skinned, blonde woman sitting with a dark-haired child on a grass-covered hill; coming out in his MJOLNIR armor for the first time…

Just as quickly as the pain had started, it was gone. North could finally see an empty train car that was rocking back and forth slightly as it ran along its tracks. Theta's hologram picked itself up from off the floor and disappeared into his armor, curling protectively around North's mind in a warm, youthful presence. He murmured small words of comfort to his charge before looking over at Texas. The black-armored Freelancer was still twitching slightly, and a growl of pain came rumbling out and echoed in the car. Omega had also appeared and was "kicking" at Texas' armor, waiting for her to recover herself.

"Tex, you need to get up. CT and the Leader are gone," North said, picking up his sniper rifle from where it had fallen. She sat up slowly, clutching her head.

"What WAS that?" she hissed as North offered her a hand to help her up.

"No clue. At least it's gone now, though," he muttered, handing Texas her weapon. "Right now, we need to find CT and complete the objective." She nodded and followed him out the train car.

It didn't take them long to find some evidence of CT and the Leader's trail. After the third or fourth car, about five rebels started firing at them from behind metal crates with assault rifles. Ducking behind some barriers, Tex and North snuck around to take them out with their respective weapons, but it was taking too much time. Every minute that they were delayed, CT and the Leader got closer and closer to escaping.

"Theta, you there?" North shouted as the last of the gunfire faded with the last rebel's breath, and they continued to run. The purple AI appeared on his shoulder and gave an affirmative hum. "Get ready for a Hail Mary," he said, pulling out a large canister and holding it steady in his hands. There was only one, so he needed to time it just right.

They had come to the conductor's car, running over two-thirds the length of the train. There was a large group of soldiers and, among them, CT and the Leader. They whipped around in surprise as North and Tex lurched into the room. CT was hauled up to the top of the car, and the Leader followed. "Don't let them get away!" North shouted before letting the canister fly at the twenty or so soldiers still in the car and he shut the door. Both he and Tex climbed the ladder to the top of the car. CT and the leader were grabbing onto a rope hanging down from a passing Falcon, ready for take-off.

"We'll be leaving now!" The Leader shouted over the roaring wind of the speeding train, and the Falcon started to rise. "Bob, take them out!" Bob? Who was Bob?

Oh, that was Bob. A gigantic, muscle-bulging armored man in a helmet decorated with flames on the visor jumped down from the Falcon's passenger side as the other two were hoisted up, denting the roof of the car with his impact. Worse still, Bob held a detached rail gun in his arms and numerous Bowie knives strapped Pancho- Villa style along his bare chest. The man let out a wordless scream and charged at the Freelancers, whipping his gun around in a wide arc.

"Scatter!" Tex shouted, and they dove out of the way of the flying bullets. North activated his Dome Energy Shield, but the train was rocking around too fast for it to stay active for long. Tex charged at Bob and aimed for his chest, but he grabbed her hand and shook her like a ragdoll, nearly throwing her off the train. The black Freelancer grabbed on for dear life, scrambling to find a hold on the chrome metal.

An aquamarine blur appeared out of nowhere and latched onto the assailant's back, looping her arms around his throat. Bob dropped his gun and tried to reach around to grab Carolina, looking like a bald gorilla trying to grab a chimp off of his back. Carolina was stabbing the man repeatedly along his back and shoulders, but to no effect. Bob reached around, grabbed Carolina by the helmet, and slammed her head first into the train. North tried to aim with his sniper rifle, but the train was rocking around too much. Even Theta could not get a good reading on Bob as he lumbered closer. North toppled over and he was grabbed around the throat by the giant, who began to squeeze _hard_. Black spots were appearing in North's vision. His fingers were scrabbling against his attacker's chest, trying to make him lose grip. His vision was going dark. Inside his head, Theta was crying.

A roar of pain temporarily deafened North, and he was dropped to the rocking ground. He grabbed on as he started to slide before sitting upright. Bob was clawing at his shoulder, where a large burn mark had singed the skin and blood was pooling out of the hole. A blur of burgundy and gold shot forward and started kicking at the giant, who was waving his arms wildly to fend off the angry woman. "NO. YOU. DON'T!" Delaware shrieked, punctuating each word with a punch to the visor or a kick to the chest. She was knocked off and fell on her back, but righted herself just in time and helped North to his feet.

"What are you doing here?!" He demanded. Delaware was supposed to be in the infirmary after yesterday. A shrug was his only reply, but she handed him a foreign-looking weapon of gleaming silver metal and blue light.

"Take him out first, THEN you can worry about me," she commented, letting him right the gun. The light changed to amber, and he pulled what he thought was the trigger. A shot of amber energy exploded out of the end of the weapon and connected with Bob's chest. The visor tipped down to stare at the smoking hole where his heart should have been, before toppling off the train and falling into the dust of Tri-Virgo.

"I guess we lost the objective," Tex muttered as Delaware pulled her back onto the speeding train, while North supported Carolina on his shoulder. A speeding Longsword came up beside the car of the train, and the hatch opened. Maine clambered onto the gangway and pulled Carolina into the ship to strap her in, while Tex jumped after them.

North clapped his hand on Delaware's shoulder. "I guess I should say thanks," he said quietly, but he knew that she would hear him.

"It's what I do. I try to help people," she replied, before grabbing his hand. Together, they jumped onto the platform of the Longsword and held on tight as Virginia rocketed them upwards to join 479r on the way to the _Mother of Invention_.

* * *

A figure in white robes with stunning green eyes stared at a holographic model in the plain white room. Models of various species flicked across his vision, and he passed his long-fingered hand across to view more species. A model showing a human male appeared, at normal size. He considered for a moment, then passed his hand to view another, humanoid figure that was noticeably taller and more slender. The door opened to the room, and a wizened figure in deep green robes with an amber headdress floated into the room on a rather rickety Gravity Throne.

"Glorious One, the hour is late. Is it not time to retire to preserve your strength?" the grey, wrinkled figure asked, his bulbous eyes cat downward in the presence of his superior. The robed figure with green eyes shifted, but barely.

"My kind does not require sleep as often as yours do. I have not slept for over two thousand years," he spoke in a voice, wispy with wonderment and distraction has he continued to cursor through the catalogue of the galaxy's species.

"Forgive my ignorance, Most Holy One," the alien bowed his head, expecting a rebuke. He was ignored, so he continued. "If I may inquire, why do you peruse your Scriptures?"

"You may inquire, and I shall answer. I am curious as to the catalogues that my ancestors have helped form of the galaxy's life. It is…" he paused, thinking of words, "soothing, to know of all the life that has come forth after the Great Calamity."

"Your Lordship is even grateful of the existence of the humans? The lower-than-worms, parasitic disease that must be purged from our system?"

The green-eyed figure rose to his full height, a good twelve feet, and whipped around to look at the lowly creature behind him. "Prophet of Generosity, you would do wise to remember that there is only one true disease that continues to plague us to this day. Humans are NOT the problem, and you would do well to maintain a mild respect for them," he spoke angrily to the wrinkled elder, who sunk low in his Gravity Throne and bowed in a way for his amber headdress to almost fall off.

"I apologize, Great One. I fear that I have upset you." The Prophet paused. "Shall I place myself before your Father, the Lord of the Gods?"

"No," came the gritted reply as the hooded figure turned to look back at the holograms. "You are forgiven. Leave me in peace." The San' Shyuum gave one last bow.

"Yes, master. All hail the Merciful One, Blessed Victory!" The Prophet directed himself out of the room. Blessed Victory turned back towards the projections.

"I do not agree with this alliance," he murmured to himself in a voice that could barely be heard. "I pray for you, Clone, that you may die a peaceful death before my Father comes for you."

* * *

_Yeah, kind of short. I just wanted to wrap up the mission scene a little bit quicker. _

_I hope you all enjoyed, and Chapter 12 will give a little sneak peek into some rising romance between North and Delaware...yay!_

_Hope to see you all then,_

_anna1795_


	13. Chapter 12

****_Sorry that this took a while to upload, but here it is! Working on Chapter 13. Feel free to make requests for this story or any one-shots. I'm trying to expand my experience._

* * *

**Chapter 12**

"What the hell was that?!" the Director's scream of rage echoed across the bridge, but did little to shift the line of Freelancers standing in front of him, in varying states of disrepair. York and Wyoming were pretty much being held together with Biofoam until their debriefing was over and they could get to surgery. Carolina's head was wrapped in bandages down to her eyes, and she was being supported by a scratched up Maine and South. Texas, North, and Delaware were all slightly shaky from the AI disruption. Washington had taken a bullet to his shin and was holding himself up with a metal crutch. Only Virginia had escaped injury from the botched mission on Tri-Virgo.

"Your lack of organization allowed our objectives to escape us with vital Project information! I am quite ashamed of ALL of you!" the bespectacled man roared in his fury, sweeping papers off of a desk. The Counselor said nothing, merely taking notes on the injuries sustained by the Agents.

"Sir," North stepped forward. "The fault is mine-" but he had no time to explain himself.

"The fault is shared with your teammates, Agent North, but I expected much better results from you. Even with additional reinforcements, you were delayed in pursuing the targets!" North ducked his head in shame. It HAD been all his fault that the mission was a failure.

Texas came to the rescue. "Director, we were delayed by some piece of new technology that the Insurrectionists had. It incapacitated us by doing something with out AIs, like it was scrambling their signal or something."

"It's called an Electro-Disruptor Pulse."

All eyes turned to Delaware. "And how would you know about this?" the Counselor asked calmly.

"The technology was developed on Terra Beta. The Insurrectionists in those Outer Colonies began mass-producing AIs on their own, and it was wreaking havoc on our defense network. I proposed the idea of developing some form of coding that could incapacitate an AI like an EMP, but not destroy it. The lead scientist of the defense network started working on the EDP, and it was almost ready. I was notified a few minutes before…" she paused, "sneaking off that it had been stolen and had been detected in this system. The Innies messed with the coding in the computer, and would have done much more damage to our AIs. They took something like putting a magnet to a computer and multiplied that by about 50."

"Did you retrieve the coding?" the Director growled, but his anger was dissipating slightly. Delaware pulled out a storage drive and handed it to him.

"I used a tracer virus to disrupt the coding and mitigate its lasting effects. If you can back trace its residue from the computer system on that drive, you might have a chance at finding the objectives."

The Director stared long and hard at the drive in his hand before turning to the Counselor. "Counselor, you may update the board."

The electronic screen behind the Director blossomed to life, and the readings were shifted around.

TEXAS

CAROLINA

YORK

NORTH DAKOTA

WYOMING

MAINE

SOUTH DAKOTA

DELAWARE

They stared at the board. Not only were all of the active Agents on the list, but Delaware was considered…

"Congratulations, Agent Delaware," the Counselor spoke to the dark-haired woman. "Your status as an active Agent has been restored." She said nothing, only staring at the rankings impassively.

"You are all dismissed," the Director barked, walking off with the storage unit that Delaware had given him, and they all started walking out.

"Don't try to show us up like that," Carolina growled as she was supported by Maine towards the infirmary, following the other injured Freelancers. Delaware paused for a moment.

"What do you mean, show you up?"

"You KNOW what she means!" South snarled at the burgundy Agent, taking a menacing step towards her. "You had to go and be the hero today when we had everything under control, and then play Miss Smarty Pants with that Innie tech and play the Director's favorite, you bitch!"

"South, calm down!" North said, startled, but his sister continued on her tirade.

"You're an arrogant, self-centered Freelancer wannabe who does our cleaning, that's it! Just because you have a fancy AI doesn't mean that you're one of us."

"South, lay off!" Texas growled, but she was ignored again.

"And you know what, I bet that it was you that gave the Innies that tech to hurt us, just so that you could swoop in and save the day and everyone would think-"

South never got to finish her sentence before she was slammed into a wall with an almighty CLANG! Delaware held her shoulders into the wall, an infuriated look in her face.

"Just because I'm ranked lower on the list than you are, doesn't mean that I can't take you in a fight," Delaware hissed to South, who grunted as she tried to escape the vice-like grip on her shoulders. "You say I'm not one of you. Well, if you're what being "one of us" is like, then I'm glad I'm not "one of you." I've been on this ship longer than you have, South, and don't even THINK for a moment that I would do something to hurt others just for a power grab. I'll leave that to people like you." Delaware lifted her hands, and South fell to the floor. Delaware turned on her heel and headed towards the locker room at a brisk walk.

"_Was that entirely necessary?_" Chi appeared as a sand cat and prowled along besides the fuming Delaware. All of her host's happiness at becoming active again was gone in light of the argument with South Dakota.

"South doesn't need the ego boost of ranking higher than me, and did she really need to go off on me like that?" Delaware retorted angrily, stripping off her armor and shoving it into her locker. "If she thinks that I would do something like give something that I helped design to the people that are ruining my planet, she's got another thing coming!" She slammed her locker door shut and punched the metal of the door, denting it. "Damn it," she whispered, leaning against the locker and hitting her head against it.

"You're only going to hurt yourself that way."

Delaware whipped around. North stood in the doorway rather awkwardly, hands clenching and unclenching at his side. She relaxed slightly and leaned against the lockers.

"What are you doing here?" she asked tiredly, crossing her legs and arms.

"I just came to see if you were okay," he said quietly, coming in slowly. "What South did was not okay," he said in frustration, grimacing.

"She's your sister. You should know that she does this all the time by now, don't you?" Delaware was tired, and she felt irritable after the fight with South.

"I know, and I'm sorry about that-"

"Don't!" Delaware yelled, and North took a step back. She took a deep breath again. "I'm sorry. I can't stand people who apologize for something that they didn't do. You couldn't control your sister. You're not at fault." And she collapsed to the floor, shuddering and gasping.

North was completely at a loss. Was the woman crying? Was she angry with herself? Was she angry with him? He had no idea.

"_Maybe you should go and talk to her_," Theta suggested quietly inside his head.

"_**What if she doesn't want to talk to me? What do I do with this?**_" North questioned his AI as Delaware continued to gasp into her hands.

"_Surprise her. She'll stop, I think_," Theta whispered. On impulse, North crept forward and knelt down. He wrapped his arms around her gently and brought the woman to his armored chest. She stiffened slightly as instinct told him to rock her back and forth gently, cupping her hand under his chin. North then became surprised when something (not him) started pulling his body with puppet strings, tipping Delaware's head up with his hand and him bringing his face to hers.

Actually, it really wasn't a "bringing his face to hers" as smashing into it. Their cheeks rubbed together awkwardly for a moment, almost like grating sandpaper against a polished wood. The cartilage of their noses bashed together painfully, and North's teeth flew forward and caught Delaware's lips. She gave a slight yelp of pain, and her head crashed into his. They both fell backwards, Delaware nursing a bleeding lip and North holding his pounding head.

"I'm sorry!" North exclaimed in embarrassment, his face heating up as he blushed a wonderful shade of cranberry red. "I didn't-I mean, that wasn't-what I'm trying to say is…" he never had a chance to finish before a pair of bloody lips pressed against his quite soundly. The coppery taste of blood lingered as Delaware pulled back, wiping her sleeve. He gaped at her as her cheeks became quite rosy.

"If you're going to play rough, do it right," she mumbled silently, wiping her eyes of her shed tears.

"You're weird, you know that?" North finally managed to gasp as he spit Delaware's blood out of his mouth. She smirked at him.

"And you're a horrible kisser. Was it like this with all the girls you've kissed?" she asked cheekily, folding her arms as he clambered to his feet beside her.

"No!" he exclaimed indignantly, and she laughed quietly, unbelievingly. "Really, I'm not a bad kisser!"

"Yeah?" Delaware's eyebrow almost disappeared into her disheveled bangs. "Prove it."

York, Wash, and Maine chuckled as North finally made it into Recovery after their surgeries, his face peppered with bloody lip prints.

"Looks like someone got lucky," Wyoming remarked as North pulled up a chair with the other guys.

"Shut up," came the slightly distracted reply as North began wiping off his face with a napkin.

"Did you guys finally tie the knot?" York nudged his friend's shoulder. North looked up from his vigorous scrubbing.

"…No. We just had a kiss," he replied softly. Wash laughed uproariously.

"Just a kiss?! Dude, you guys were sucking some major face there," he crowed, and North punched him. Nothing was going to wreck his good mood right now. He felt possibly the happiest he had been in a long, long time.

* * *

"Blessed Victory, may I share words with you?" a voice demanded, and the green-eyed male turned around slightly. A taller, yellow-eyed figure in white robes raced to catch up with his brother's pace.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Burning Surrender?" Victory addressed his brother wearily, returning to his stately walk. Surrender snorted.

"Really, you should be happy to be in the company of an equal," he replied to Victory, an unseen nose wrinkling in disgust as a pair of patrolling Jackals passed through the hall. "These…Covenant," he spoke the word with disgust, like he was describing a particularly awful disease.

"Consider them well, brother," Victory rebuked his twin, who leaned back in shock at his harsh words. "One day, they may decide that you are no longer worthy of their worship."

"Fine, they're not ALL bad," Surrender conceded. "I especially like the brutality of the Brutes. That San'Shyuum, though, the Prophet of Benevolence…he is constantly scheming, and I do not like it."

"You were alive before the Great Cataclysm, brother, and you should remember revolt in the quarantine system before that. Did you expect anything different?" Victory replied while Surrender mused silently. "Now, what was it that you found it so urgent to talk about?"

"Merely to inform you that my next mutation ceremony is approaching and I would like you to attend." Victory groaned silently. He did not enjoy the mutation ceremonies that his father forced him to attend, and though he was happy that his twin brother was advancing mentally and physiologically, the whole process made him cringe. Victory was already through his fourth mutation; Surrender was quickly approaching his third.

"…I will see about attending," Victory replied sullenly, and he could feel Surrender grinning. "I do not know if I will be able to attend for long."

"When is YOUR next mutation ceremony?"

The question was unexpected and asked in a condescending, rude manner. Victory stopped and grasped his brother's shoulder, HARD.

"Be mindful, brother. I am of a higher rate than you and you will NOT insult me," Victory growled lowly, shoving his brother into a wall so hard that the metal dented slightly. Surrender brushed himself off and ran after his brother.

"Mother would be ashamed of your secrecy," Surrender snarled, and Victory smacked his brother across the face. Their cloaks whipped around violently in their scuffle.

"Don't talk about her as if you understand, Blood of Burning Surrender! You bring shame to us when you talk about what Mother would be ashamed of and what she would not-"

"Your mother was a fool."

They fell silent. In the hallway, taller than the both of them and red eyes flashing in annoyance, stood Father. Both brothers separated and bowed deeply, not meeting the burning gaze of those fierce red eyes.

"Infinite Night was a fool, a weakling, and a traitor, and I hope that she is burning in the ruins of the Durance," Father spat. "No kind words may be said about her, Blessed Victory. Burning Surrender has the privilege of speaking of her in that manner," he growled, and raked a clawed hand across his son's face. Victory tumbled and stood back up, stooped so as to appear less challenging to his father.

"Father, please! I ask your forgiveness for rebuking my twin!" Victory sunk to his knees, trying to appear submissive though his mind was racing with rage. His brother, Burning Surrender, watched as his twin kowtowed to their enraged father, who seemed larger in his rage. With one last kick, Father sent Blessed Victory to the floor again before stalking off, ignoring the pained moans of his son. With one last stare at his twin, Burning Surrender followed the footsteps of his father.

Blessed Victory rolled onto his back and felt the defined protrusion from his ribs where the third had cracked under the impact of Father's kick. He rubbed his face and pulled his hand back to see glistening blue blood on his fingers. A low growl emanated from his throat as he closed his hands and watched his blood trickle down his wrist.

"Father, you shall pay someday," Omen of Blessed Victory hissed under his breath. "You may have me for now, but someday, you will pay."

* * *

_Things are really starting to pick up now within this story. I hope that it is to your liking. _

_Feel free to review or message me with questions, comments, and requests. I always look forward to reading what you guys have to say._

_Peace to you all,_

_anna1795_


	14. Chapter 13

****_Quick upload, but I wanted to get this out there to you guys. Lucky 13!_

* * *

**Chapter 13**

Life had become very interesting on board the _Mother of Invention_ and had caught many people's attention, most of them women. It was sociological fact that when something happened to one girl, especially involving another girl or boy, the news spread like wildfire in the forms of giggles and whispers behind hands. So when the word had gotten out that North and Delaware had kissed in the locker room (most likely from Wyoming to Carolina or South), the effect was instantaneous.

The most immediate and negative reaction came the next morning at breakfast, when South had approached Delaware when she came in and slapped her across the face. Delaware had caught the hand's backlash, twisted it around South's back, and pushed her to the floor. After a few harsh words exchanged with North, South had trudged off with a black cloud over her head. North had then taken a napkin and dabbed the reopened wound on Delaware's lip, then had gotten her breakfast. South had turned up later to training with complaints that her room's thermostat had malfunctioned and frost was accumulating in the corners of her room.

"What did I tell you, South?" York chided South as she threw her fists into a heavy bag in frustration. "Don't mess with the maintenance folk. They're vengeful people." Indeed they were, for South's repeated calls to maintenance in regards to her faulty thermostat were dutifully ignored until she went and apologized to Delaware for her physical outburst. When she next entered her bedroom, it was to find the air at a comfortable 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

The next largest reaction was the rift between Carolina and Texas. Carolina regarded Delaware as a threat for though she was the lowest ranked Freelancer on the board, her skills in fighting and her relationship with the team made Carolina uneasy. The combination of her performance on their botched mission, her knowledge of the Insurrectionist technology that was being wielded against them, and her unknown experiences quickly changed Carolina's former neutrality into an attitude of al alpha defending its title.

Unfortunately, the attempted alpha attitude from the new beta of the Freelancer pack had drawn on the attention of the true alpha, Tex. Tex' inexplicable curiosity and protective instinct towards Delaware had resulted increased negativity towards Carolina. It seemed that the team was being divided into two different camps: the side that accepted Delaware's presence and the side that didn't.

"You'd think that they had better ways to spend their energy," Delaware muttered as she leaned against one of the many pillows on her bed, fingering a piece of cloth and examining various colors of thread against the cream-colored weave. North sat beside her, watching as Theta played skip rope with Chi's long, whip-like tail. Delaware gave an affirmative hum as she held up a spool of forest green thread and one of corn yellow, nodded decisively, and threaded a needle to begin the outline of a design.

"What are you doing there?" North peered over at her work with interest as the outline of a coniferous tree came into being with accents of autumn yellow.

"I'm embroidering a gift for one of my sisters. She's getting married soon, so I figured that I'd send her something since I can't make it back in time," Delaware mumbled, holding the fabric up to the light. She set it down and pulled a picture from the wall behind her, holding a family portrait. She pointed to a pretty young woman with curly platinum blonde hair and bright green eyes. "Bianca's the youngest of my sisters, but she's so sweet," Delaware said softly, resetting the picture. "She's always looking after the kids at our school. Last I heard, she's started teaching there."

"Your sister sounds like a caring person," North hugged Delaware's shoulder, and she leaned her head to his.

"Yeah. Bianca wouldn't hurt a fly, and she's never had to see any fighting. I don't know how she fell for a former ONI person then."

"Someone from the Office of Naval Intelligence?"

"Yeah. Apparently, he was involved in some secret military project that left him crippled, so he did some strategy work for a bit before he was retired. He moved to Terra Beta with some of his family, met with my sister, and…they're getting married." She gave a small chuckle as she continued with the thread. "So, I'm making her a quilt block with a pine tree on it 'cause when she was little, Bianca LOVED to climb trees and I had to keep climbing up and bringing her down for dinner." The form of the tree continued to be filled in with a graceful mix of the dark green and bright yellow, forming a realistic image of a proud tree that had stood the test of time.

* * *

It came as a normal day when the Freelancers were all called to the training room and divided into three teams: Red, Blue, Black, and Gold Team.

Red

Agent North Dakota

Agent York

Blue

Agent Wyoming

Agent Maine

Agent Washington

Black Team

Agent Texas

Agent Delaware

Gold Team

Agent Carolina

Agent South Dakota

"What's the purpose of divvying us up, sir?" Carolina asked as she strapped on her chest armor.

"We are performing a combined paint gun activity to exercise your teamwork abilities," the Counselor replied smoothly as he inspected the ammunition for faults in the paint bullets.

"Hey, Carolina. Maybe we can knock those preening bitches off their perch," South cackled, elbowing Carolina in the side. Carolina returned the smirk before latching on her helmet. North said nothing, but watched as Texas cracked her knuckles and Delaware snapped on a gauntlet with angry force.

"_They're not being very nice,_" Theta mumbled to North as the agent finished strapping on his helmet.

"There's nothing nice about a catfight, Theta. We just leave them to it," he sighed as he grabbed a sniper rifle, while York grabbed an automatic. Maine, Wyoming, and Wash were all out on the floor with either magnums or battle rifles. South and Texas both grabbed battle rifles, while Carolina and Delaware grabbed the last four magnums. The teams settled into their corners of the gym and awaited directions from the Director.

"**Agents, your objective for this exercise is to measure your compatibility with each other team in the room for the paint training exercises. For six rounds, you will be randomly paired with another team to bring down the other combination. For six rounds after that, you will be working in only your respective teams."**

"Doesn't sound too bad," York muttered, before the Director continued.

** "No AIS will be used in this exercise."**

"Or…not."

The AIs all appeared by their respective handlers before positioning themselves with the Director in the observation room above the gym. A screen flashed blue before it was shown that Red and Gold Team would be going up against Blue and Black team.

"Hey, North," South crowed as he and York went to join the girls. "Looks like you're going up against your girlfriend, huh?"

"Yeah," North said smoothly, priming his sniper rifle. "What's your point?"

"What we're saying is that South and I call Delaware and Texas," Carolina growled. "You and York get Blue Team."

"That's not fair! Why do we have to go up against the most people?" York complained. "Wyoming's going to be spouting off knock-knock jokes, Wash is a wimp, and Maine's just scary!"

"Life's not fair, York," Carolina responded coldly. "Deal with it. We're going after Black Team, you guys go against Blue team."

"**Begin paint gun exercise in 5…**"

York and North both holstered their weapons.

"**4…**"

Carolina and South exchanged eager glances.

"**3…**"

Wash, Wyoming, and Maine all fidgeted as they prepped to race into the forest of pillars that had popped up.

"**2…**"

Texas stood resolute against the rising tension in the room, her rifle at the ready in her hands.

"**1…**"

Delaware cocked her Magnums and put a finger on the trigger.

"**Round begins**."

The Freelancers all scattered throughout the maze of stone pillars throughout the room, diving out of the way as the first volleys of paint soared towards their heads. Wash was knocked out of the ring by a shot from Carolina, and York cursed as his hand, then his head, were plastered to the wall. The shots stopped as the remaining participants snuck through the stone.

North was extremely cautious as he rotated around with his rifle at the ready. "Carolina? What's your position?" he whispered into his comm. Piece.

"I've got Wyoming in my sights," came the breathed reply. A single shot blasted out, and Wyoming fell to the floor. "Never mind. South got him." The board above their heads showed that Blue/Black Team and Red/Gold team were tied at two points apiece.

"You stupid whore!" came a shout as South went flying, a paint cluster attached to her chest. She crashed into a pillar, and the points to Black team increased to three. Another set of shots, more rapid from the assault rifle, plastered her body. North gave the tiniest smirk as his sister was eliminated. He almost didn't notice when Maine crossed into his vision, before he poked out from behind his pillar and shot Maine in the back.

And so it went. For each round, each of the teams went at each other, blow for blow. The couples on the teams, when pitted against each other, had an unspoken claim on their partner as their target. South would attack Wyoming, and North would go after Delaware. It was some primal competition for dominance in the relationship, making the exercise even more vicious.

It was interesting when a team spontaneously decided on team kills, as was the case with the volatile combination of Black and Gold team. Before the buzzer had even gone off, Delaware and Texas had retreated into the stone columns, away from the shots of paint from Carolina and South. When the boy team had run in to check on the situation and pick off the survivors, they found South and Carolina plastered to the floor in a rather compromising position…and a blaze of paint shots from Texas and Delaware.

North had collapsed on the floor after a shot to the side paralyzed his lower body, and his helmet popped off and rolled away. Delaware walked over serenely, shooting Wash in the back when he tried to get up, and knelt down beside the blonde man. She took off her helmet for a moment. "Nice try, love," she had said before a kiss to the lips and another shot to the chest rendered him immobile.

The individual rounds had reduced the competition from an exercise to flat out war. They had spent the first hour and a half of the individual rounds trying to eliminate each other. Blue Team was going after Carolina and South, who were going after Delaware and Texas, who were going after North and York. No one seemed to be able to hit the other as globs of paint flew and plastered themselves to walls, columns, ceilings, and doorways, but not to pieces of armor.

"This is getting exhausting," North groaned as he took off his gloves to wipe the sweat off of them and to be able to better handle his weapon.

"I wish we could just head to dinner," York agreed, glancing up at the slightly lopsided score of Red, Black, and Gold team's ten points to Blue teams six. "It's already almost 2100!"

A shot of paint flew towards them, and they ducked as South advanced slowly with her rifle primed and ready. Then, North was grabbed from behind by a pair of aquamarine arms and hurled into a pillar. York made to complain when he was shot several times into chest and stomach, and he fell to the ground with a groan and a thud.

North attempted to stand up from the rubble of his obstacle when a heavily armored boot came down _hard_ on his exposed hand. A gruesome crunch and a yell of pain was the signal that at least two fingers had been shattered on impact. A kick to the stomach was retaliation for his sign of weakness.

"You and _her_," Carolina snarled as she vented her frustrations on North through kicks and punches, landing blows on his torso and arms. "You think that you're the best of the best, but you're not! You're weak," one kick to the ribs, "sentimental," another kick to the stomach, "and an idiot," a punch to the chest. North flew wide and landed with a few hits to the floor, his helmet sliding off in the process. Carolina wasn't done as she grabbed him by the throat and lifted him up. North was choking as blood trickled down his face and flooded into his mouth.

"…_Carolina_," he gasped as Carolina brought her gun up to his face. He noticed that she no longer had paint bullets in her Magnum.

"North," Carolina responded coldly as she primed her weapon. A bullet readied itself to be fired.

"_Carolina, please…_" North could only whisper. Shouts were coming towards them, and burgundy approached from behind Carolina.

A shot from a Magnum rang out, and North's vision faded to black.

* * *

Gunshots rang out over the rumbling of thunder from the raging storm outside, and Bianca closed the rattling window with a sharp snap. A group of children huddled under blankets in the corner of the sparse classroom, and candles flickered weakly from the wind coming through cracks in the stone wall. Bianca pulled her hair back in her fingers and tied it off with a ribbon, readjusted her wool robe, and placed her hand to a candle to provide some warmth to her shivering fingers.

The rise of the Insurrectionists on Terra Beta had made life difficult for the past few months. It was dangerous now to even travel one mile outside of one of the Operator Compounds, let alone the ten or twenty mile journey to the school or tend to the herds, as many had to do. Their territory was shrinking rapidly as superior transportation technology kept falling into the hands of the enemy, and breaking through to the neighboring Operators on the nearby colonies- _former_ colonies, Bianca reminded herself- was nearing impossibility. Food supply was shrinking in the approach of the winter months due to raids on harvesters and destruction of fields. How were they supposed to be able to make it through their coldest year yet when their food was being stolen in the unsafe nights and their herds depleted?

A knock at the door brought Bianca out of her reverie as she shuffled to the door and peaked through a crack in the wood. Breathing a sigh of relief, she unlocked it and allowed a heavily armored soldier in a visored helmet to enter her schoolroom.

"Kirk, thank goodness you are here," the blonde breathed as the soldier took off his helmet and shook out reddish-brown hair.

"It's madness out there, Bianca," the soldier confronted the woman gently. "What are you doing here today?"

"There wasn't any activity outside of Phoenix Compound today. What would you have me do, abandon the kids and not show those rebels that we're not afraid?"

"Sorry I asked," Kirk responded, rolling his eyes. The gunfire outside ceased as a flash of lightning lit up the room, illuminating the numerous scars along Kirk's face.

"Is there any news from Stallion Compound?" Bianca asked as she offered a water bottle to the protector while he shook his head.

"No, I haven't been able to get back. My route's been cut off completely now. I can't reach anyone on the other side," he answered in frustration, taking a deep swig of the freezing liquid.

"So that's it, then? We're not getting any help from Red Stallion?"

"Bianca, you know that Farjad would do anything to help you," Kirk responded neutrally to the woman, who folded her arms. "Not only because you're his fiancé, but also that he's an Operator. He made a vow to help the IAOC." Bianca mused for a moment.

"I know. I wish…" she stopped.

"What? You wish what?" Kirk asked.

"Nothing. Wishes don't make anything come true. Only actions achieve your goals," she responded, finishing her thought. "Do you happen to have access to the main Operator communication system?" Kirk handed her an electronic pad, and she began typing on it feverishly.

DISTRESS MESSAGE FROM IAOC SUB-OPERATOR BLACK SPARROW.

SENT TO IAOC OPERATOR BLACK PHOENIX:

Opposition is now utilizing force in rebellion against established IAOC government system of Operators. Requesting immediate return and aid in suppressing deadly force. Repeat, opposition is now utilizing deadly force in rebellion. Please respond and return.

Bianca sent the message and closed the tablet, handing it back to Kirk.

"Do you think she'll come back, Bianca? How do you know Phoenix won't just stay away?" Kirk asked respectfully as he put on his helmet to go into the raging storm again.

"If I know my sister," Bianca said as she started blowing out the candles, "she'll come back. All we have to do is ask."

* * *

_Brownie points to the person who makes a guess as to the introduction of new characters. Chapter 14 is in the works._


	15. Chapter 14

****_Well, here's another one! I'm on a roll right now, so expect Chapter 15 really soon. _

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Julius, the head medic on board the _Mother of Invention_, was known for his no-fools policy. He had absolutely no patience for people who put themselves in the med-bay for foolish reasons, nor had he any patience for the fools that put others in them. People circulated on and off his official List of Fools like seconds ticked by on a clock, but there were always a few precious individuals who managed to find themselves permanent positions on his list that warranted yelling, ridicule, and scorn.

At the moment, two people on board the ship had just gotten themselves permanent positions for eternity on Julius' list. Carolina had earned her spot for beating Agent North Dakota to a pulp and almost shooting him in the head. The poor man had several cracked ribs, three broken fingers, and multiple bruises and lacerations from his beating. When North Dakota had been released from surgery, Julius had cornered Carolina after her debriefing from the Director and had shouted at her for having to use precious resources due to a personal grudge. The red-head had hung her head in anger and shame as he had rebuked her, and good riddance for it too. It took a long time to placate Dawn after he had seen the condition of her lover, so he had sent her off to grab some food.

That had been Julius' mistake, certainly, but he corrected himself as he stared at the two occupied beds in the Recovery ward. The real fool had been the absolute idiot from maintenance, Kilt, who had gotten a hand on Dawn's food. Curiosity had driven her to taste that biohazard consumable liquid known as Mountain Dew (by recommendation), and she had taken a sip…to have to be rushed to Julius because the drink had been laced with antifreeze. Julius had been so upset by his charge's attempted poisoning, he had told the black Freelancer, Texas, exactly who had put antifreeze in Dawn's drink.

Last he had heard, Texas had been using Kilt as a hog-tied punching bag to settle her nerves.

Julius sat at the edge of his charge's bed, pulling her black hair behind her ear as she slept off the anesthetic administered to her while she had had her stomach pumped and antitoxins administered to her bloodstream to mitigate the effects of the poison. The poor kid didn't deserve all the crap that she got. It was like her very existence was cursed from the get-go. Not having a proper place to grow up in, having to learn to fight and kill, her mother dying, raising her sisters on her own, getting involved with the Freelancer Project after leading an uprising, and now this…

A buzz from the battered tablet on his operating table made Julius jump slightly and reach for the electronic device. He submitted the password and analyzed the two messages on the screen, alarm increasing as his eyes scanned the text. "Damn," he whispered before standing up suddenly and leaving, needing to have words with the Director.

* * *

North groaned as light flashed in his vision, and he sat up slowly and shakily from the soft mattress in the Recovery ward. Something warm was enveloping his injured hand, and a presence in his mind was attempting to diminish the pain that threatened to beat his skull. His vision clearing, North looked up to see a lightly dozing Delaware sitting at the edge of his bed, garbed in a white hospital gown. A flinch in his hand woke her up in an instant, and she leaned down to hug him. Weakly, he brushed his lips across her cheek.

"Why are you here?" he asked hoarsely from his bruised windpipe.

"I had to have my stomach pumped. Someone snuck antifreeze into my Dew."

"I wonder who could have done that?" North asked sarcastically, and Delaware smiled softly at him.

"Scoot over," she ordered, sliding onto the bed so that she sat against the pillow with her legs stretched out. He leaned his head against her with a tired sigh as Theta continued to keep the pain in his head down. Delaware started running her fingers through his hair softly, removing any tangles.

"I guess Carolina and South got a nasty surprise today when they got shot by all that paint," Delaware remarked slowly, and North laughed, leaning his head into her hand.

"Do you remember the look on Carolina's face when I shot her point-blank in the chest?"

"How could I forget? It must've been what Wash looked like when I shot him in the butt."

"Or Texas when she shot South in the foot at the same time as York shooting her in the face."

"Or Wyoming and Maine when they shot each other because they saw you and Carolina behind each other."

Many laughs were shared, even though North clutched his ribs as pain racked through his side. Delaware stopped laughing and held him close as his coughing fit subsided. North breathed heavily to dissipate the pain in his lungs. Theta's presence coursed through his neural net to dissipate the waves of pain, and he leaned back against his girlfriend with a sigh. She took his uninjured hand in her own and held it close, kissing it gently.

"Do you want me to read your palm?" Delaware asked quietly, and he looked up at her out of the corner of his vision.

"Sure, why not?" he shrugged. "Not much else to do, anyway."

So, the black haired woman opened his palm flat against one of her hands and gently traced her fingertips along his hand. The sensation of her calloused fingertips against his scarred hand was quite pleasant, and North smiled as Delaware gave sounds of thought and realization.

"Well, we begin with your heart line here," she whispered, tracing the line closest to his fingers. "It starts below your index finger, so you're content with your love life. Long and curvy," she paused in her tracing as North gave a slight shudder. "You have a good handle on your emotions. You're also separate from your head line here," she traced another line on his palm in synchronization, and North clenched his hand reflexively around her fingers, chuckling. She traced her free hand along his cheek, kissing him gently on the lips.

"I'd say that I'm content with my love life," he murmured into her ear with a husky breath, and she flinched at the ticklish sensation coursing through her ear.

The door to Recovery opened with a snap all of a sudden, and Texas stalked into the room with York. Both were dressed in armor, and their pace was hurried with urgency. The two lovebirds separated with flushed cheeks.

"The Director's called some of us up for a meeting," Texas jumped straight to the point.

"He does remember that we're in Recovery, right?" Delaware responded as she got up shakily while York went to carry North in his arms.

"Since when does that matter?" York responded as he put his arms under North's shoulders and under his knees.

"True. The war waits for no one," Delaware conceded as she put her arm over Texas' shoulder. "Do either of you know what the Director wants with us?"

"Not just us. You," Texas replied, and Delaware tossed a confused glance her way. "He said that you're going home."

* * *

"_Our enemies grow more powerful by the day, and we just sit here and watch the clock tick?_"

"_We can't intervene until the time is right; you remember that, daughter_."

Two flickers of light on two separate pedestals glimmered faintly, one green and the other a pale gold. The two AIs shone in front of a blank screen, arguing with each other.

"_And we can't take any sort of decisive action to prevent us having to call them? ALL of them?_" the green one groaned in exasperation, flickering like an angry green ember. The gold one dimmed soothingly.

"_No. I am sorry, but for this to happen, we must wait._"

"_I AM IMPATIENT!"_ The green light blinked to red as suddenly as a stoplight. Warnings blared around the two AIs. "_I HAVE WAITED FOR CENTURIES TO SEE THIS THROUGH, AND NOW I FIND THAT I HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL AN UNNECESSARY DEATH TO ACT?!_"

"_Eternal Night, stop!"_ The gold light flared as well, golden wisps arcing across to its angry counterpart. The green slowly returned to the red. "_I know that you are upset, and I am as well. But the Mantel must be upheld to its purest form as we can allow, and our meddling goes against what we have inherited. Please, be patient._"

"_If the One Who Sees All Souls of Pure Life could be awoken-_"

"_But she cannot,_" came the curt reply, and the green light dimmed in submission.

"_Mother, she is the one who can deliver us-_"

"_This discussion is NOT up for debate!_" The golden light took the form of an older woman with a solemn face, garbed in long, splendid robes and light-colored hair, with pale skin and bright eyes. She towered over the small green ember, her face stern. "_As the Librarian, I am tasked with determining the course of events from here on out, and you WILL work with me in preserving the future of our race. Do NOT go against my decision, Courage through Eternal Night._"

"_…Forgive me, Librarian,_" the green light sulked, before vanishing into an unseen computer system. The golden woman sighed and pressed her fingers to the bridge of her flat nose, before she clasped her hands in front of her."

"_I, too, wish that I could change the course of events, my daughter_," the AI whispered to the blank screen, not eager to deal with her daughter's unruly temper. "_But we are tasked with upholding the Mantel, and I will not allow ANYONE to jeopardize it. Even if life must be lost, we must wait._"

* * *

_Yay, fluff! XD_

_Lots of good stuff happening, keep reviewing! Love you all,_

_anna1795_

_PS I'm taking one-shot requests_


	16. Flashback 1: Aftermath

****_I know that some people have been wondering about some of the ends of the chapters and how they piece together with what's going on in Retribution, so I'm doing something that I find useful: FLASHBACK TIME! _

* * *

**Year**:** Unknown; Location: Left Spiral Arm of Milky Way Galaxy**

**Three Years after the Great Cataclysm**

"_Mama, when can I go outside?"_

_The white-robed woman turned to stare down at her young child, a pretty young Forerunner with golden-tan fur on most of her body save for a mop of messy blonde hair on the top of her head. The mother, sleek silver hair tied at the back of her perfect head in a slender bun, knelt down to meet her daughter, blue eyes to green eyes. _

"_What do you mean, outside?"It still amazed the Librarian how her child had so quickly mastered the art of speaking; she was a natural in nearly every language she was tutored in by the other Life Workers on board the _Resolution of Prosperity.

"_When can we leave this place? Can we go home?"_

"_But this IS home, sweet one. Where would you want to go?"_

"_Mother, this is not home. The Life Workers and the Warriors and the Builders all talk of our old homes, and…I would like to see them."_

_The Librarian froze. "They talk of our homes in the Orion System?"_

"_And in the Sol System, by Erde- Tyrene, yes," the small child affirmed, nodding her head resolutely. The Librarian exhaled slowly and loudly, wondering what to say to her curious child. _

"_You know of our purpose with the Mantel, correct?" The small girl nodded again. _

"_Well, we had to destroy some life to help it come back healthier."_

"_The activation of the Halos, right?"_

_This child's intelligence and understanding was truly a marvel. "Yes. They were activated to sterilize a disease that threatened all life."_

"_And you have all of these creatures in jars…to start life again?"_

"_Yes. I was actually planning on starting that Project very soon, Courage."_

_A gleam of excitement caught in the child's bright green eyes. "Can I help, please? Please, can I?" she asked eagerly, bouncing up and down with anticipation. The Librarian chuckled as she stood to her full height again and took her daughter's hand. _

"_Yes. Together, we can bring life back to our galaxy, Courage through Eternal Night. It will take all of us to help repair the Mantle and restore these creatures back to where they came from."_

* * *

**Year: Unknown; Location: Third Planet of Sol System**

**Twenty Years after the Great Cataclysm**

"_Alright, Courage. Do you have all the specimens marked to be released on this world?"the Librarian called to her daughter from her position on the edge of the crack in the ground. She knew, from this planet's tectonic movements, that this tiny crack that spanned less than her arm width, would one day become a great valley on this prosperous continent. Already, trees were beginning to grow away from the edge of the fracture. _

_On the gangway of the large metallic vessel, Courage through Eternal Night scanned her carefully taken notes, marking each one off as Prometheans gathered the specimens and placed them in points all across the planet. "Almost done, mother!" she called back, pulling her blonde hair into a tail at the base of her skull with a tie. Her blue robes nearly camouflaged her against the bright blue sky above them. With a final mark, Courage drew one final set of panels out of the ship and set them in a cluster on the volcanic soil. Carefully, she took a package of plant seeds from her satchel and dug a small hole in the ash, depositing the seeds in the hole that she had made and covering it again. _

"_Are you sure that you want to release humans onto THIS world, Manipular?" a young Forerunner male, entering his second mutation phase and with an impressive thatch of black and white hair around his face, finished setting the codes on the panels that were timed and ready to release the humans when the Forerunners were safely away from the planet. Courage gave a hum of affirmation and stepped back to admire her disguised work. _

"_Yes, this will do. I hope that I can come back some day and visit, just to see how everything will repair itself," she murmured, pressing a handprint deep into the earth. _

_They congregated back onto the Keyship again, which began to lift off in a cloud of soil, ash, and other particulate debris. Courage through Eternal Night pressed her hand to the window as they left the large green and blue planet behind, the life that they had Reseeded into its surface not knowing of its salvation or sacrifice. _

"_Time to say goodbye to this world, daughter," the Librarian said encouragingly to her child, but Courage uncharacteristically flinched. _

"_Please, don't make me say it," the Manipular whispered. _

"_Say what?"_

"_Don't make me say goodbye," Courage through Eternal Night whispered. "I hate goodbyes."_

* * *

_Well, that was certainly interesting. _

_Thanks to all of you for your wonderful reviews and words of encouragement. Chapter 15 will be up this weekend, and the next few chapters after that will be posted during Thanksgiving. See you all soon!_

_anna1795_


	17. Chapter 15

_Well, I'm back and I'm ready for more! I hope that this chapter is a little bit more up to snuff for what you guys like. We're leaving the Project now...and trekking into the mysteries beyond Project Freelancer. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 15**

"Are you sure that you have to leave so soon?"

"Pass me those maps, please? And yes, I am."

North grabbed a few of the rolled up maps in his bandaged hands and handed them to Delaware, who stuffed them into a box and set it aside. Her room, once so vibrant and colorful, was being stripped bare as she hurried to get all of her belongings packed.

The notice had been quite sudden. After being picked up by York and Texas, they had been taken to see the Director who, having been informed of the situation by Julius, explained to Delaware that she was excused from further activity in the Project so that she could return home and deal with an Insurrectionist uprising. It was actually a nice way of saying that she was fired and she needed to deal with her planet's problems. Throughout the entire exchange, North had watched his lover's face change from shock to anger to an expression of neutral acceptance. All the while, she did not make any eye contact with the other Freelancers, and left quickly when the Director requested that he speak with the others alone.

Delaware grabbed the pictures off the wall above where her bed used to be, and placed them into another box with a snap. "If I don't go back, the Insurrectionists win, and all that hard work that I put into making my planet stable will have been for nothing," she huffed, tossing items hodge-podge into the large metal box that could easily fit one or two people inside along with all her belongings. Predator sat in a cage by the box, one beady eye peeking out from under an ebony-black wing.

North stepped forward as Delaware made a dash for something else and stopped her, wrapping her in his arms and tucking her head under his chin. This was actually a hard feat as Delaware was almost his equal in height, but the task was achieved. Delaware curled into North protectively, while he carded his bandaged hand through her hair slowly. The both closed their eyes, reveling in the moment, and North kissed her on the lips, long and soft.

The two drew away from each other reluctantly after a long while, and Delaware collected the last of her belongings and stuffed them into the box. Theta appeared from a hologram projector in the wall, colors flashing mournfully. Sigma, Delta, Omega, and Gamma all appeared alongside their brother, and Chi came into being as a person for a change, garbed in thick clothing and with dark hair fluttering around the small of her back.

"_Sister, will you be rejoining us?_" Sigma asked, but Chi shook her head slowly, eyes closed and face somber.

"_No. The Director has placed me on loan to Agent Del-Dawn until such a time as I may be returned safely,_" the female AI replied, shifting into her cat form again.

"_That…does not seem entirely logical, but so be it,"_ Delta responded, stepping forward awkwardly. The other AIs joined him in whispering farewells to their sister for the time being.

"_All of you, please do not get into trouble,_" Chi chided her brothers gently, before Theta enveloped her in a generous hug.

"_And YOU be careful_," the male AI's responded as one. Even Omega, with his aggressive tendencies, showed some concern for the safety of his sister AI.

"I need to return my armor now," Dawn said, for she couldn't really be called 'Agent Delaware' anymore.

"York, Tex, and I will take your stuff down to the Pelican," North said quietly, and Dawn only nodded sullenly as she passed him to get to the door. The AIs all appeared in front of the doorway.

"_Well, Agent Maine wishes to convey his farewells,_" Sigma said.

"_Agent York and I both wish you the best of luck,_" Delta continued.

Gamma paused. "_Knock knock._"

Dawn rolled her eyes. "Who's there?"

"_You._"

"You who?"

"_Here I am._" Everyone groaned at Gamma's awful joke, but the smallest smile graced Dawn's lips.

"…_Make sure that our sister comes back in one piece_," Omega growled, but his tone was less hateful than usual when he addressed other Freelancers.

"Well…I guess this is goodbye," North whispered. Theta said nothing, but his silence spoke volumes about his grief. Dawn nodded, wrapping her arms around him one last time before placing a gentle kiss on North's lips.

"Goodbye, Dawn."

"I can't leave without knowing your real name," Dawn quickly replied as she got to the door. North paused. It had been so long since he had used his real name, since he had entered the Project.

"Michael. My name is Michael."

"Well, we'll be seeing each other again," she reassured him. North nodded, grasping her in one last hug. A technician approached the separating couple, and Dawn was pulled away to return her armor.

As the female ex-Freelancer was dragged down the hallway, North poked his head out the doorway and waved York and Texas inside. Silently, York and North started pushing the box of Dawn's stuff towards the hangar, while Texas came along with Predator's cage in her arm.

"Why-*huff*-can't-*wheeze*-you-*gurgle*-help us?" York spluttered as he and North rolled the crate gently down the steps.

"I thought that this was men's work," Tex replied in a snarky manner, handing off Predator to an Outer Colonist on the ship. As soon as everyone was gone, Tex popped open the top of the crate, jumped in with North and York, and set the lid down again as though the package had not been disturbed.

"How the hell are we supposed to explain this to everyone else when we're gone?" York whispered as he worked to bury them under a pile of quilts and pillows.

"Luckily, we don't have to worry about that," North pointed out, making sure that only the barest glint of his visor could be seen by the others. "The Director has it on record that we're being relocated temporarily to a simulation base in Rat's Nest. He'll make it work out."

"I just hope that we can make it work out," Texas hissed as the crate was latched down in the cargo bay of a Pelican. She lifted the top of the crate off slightly to be able to look into the Pelican. Two soldiers in black OST armor, one with a red stripe on his shoulder and one with a white stripe, stood in the doorway of the Pelican, assault rifles clasped in their hands loosely. They were having a fairly heated conversation.

"Good to know that we've finally got her back on OUR side, the traitor," the soldier with white sniffed in a haughty male voice that was gravelly and rough.

"What's that supposed to mean?" the soldier with red growled in a low female voice.

"The Black Phoenix is a traitor. She sets up all these elaborate plans to help make us better, then leaves us to work with the UNSC, and has us fend for ourselves against the Insurrectionists," White responded to his female counterpart, who gripped her rifle tighter. Texas could practically hear the tension running through Red's body.

"She left us so that she could provide us with information to help us, and maybe get the UNSC to recognize us as an individual entity. Phoenix isn't a traitor," Red went on to say, "She's a hero."

"Right," White responded sarcastically, "A hero who saves the day by running off with her tail between her legs."

Red snarled and made to leap at the offender (Texas coiled in preparation to spring) when there came a cough. Julius walked up the gangway in black OST armor outlined with red, and both soldiers saluted. Behind him came a soldier in black HAYABUSA armor, with ridged shoulder plates outlined in red and gold, a magnum in one hand, and a katana strapped to their back. The gold visor glinted ominously at the soldiers, and they bowed to the heavily armored entity rigidly, standing up straight again and moving to the side of the Pelican. Julius rapped on the side of the ship with a gloved hand, and the gangway closed with a hiss.

The roar of numerous Pelican thrusters sounded, and the metal under the crate that the three Freelancers were stowed away in, before they felt the tell tale lurch of the ship taking off from the safe haven of the _Mother of Invention_. In the darkness of the crate, there was the faintest sound of breathing coming from the Freelancers (North's was slightly more labored than the rest with the injury to his ribs) and the rustling of materials in their boxes. Several times, when the Pelican had to maneuver to get out of the way of space debris, the Freelancers had to bite their lips shut to prevent yelps of pain as heavy items went flying on top of them. The trip was long, tedious, and silent, and no conversations could be heard in the cabin of the Pelican. The Freelancers had little option but to sleep under their shelter for the several hours that the journey would take. Even the AIs were bored, and they slowly deactivated to conserve their own energy.

With a thud, North was awoken by the landing of the Pelican on a smooth metal surface. Silently, he woke up the other Freelancers and lifted the lid of the box gently. Many people were wandering around the hangar of what could only be assumed was a UNSC frigate. These people were dressed in black or white OST armor, and had various numbers and one color of stripes on their shoulders: yellow, red, white, blue, green, or black outlined with red. Six banners hung along the sides of the hanger, with black or white shapes depicted on solid colored backgrounds: a rearing horse on red, a poised wasp on yellow, a single leaf on green, a constellation on blue, a roaring dragon on white, and a bird in flight on black.

Suddenly, the box was shoved forward with enough force to send the lid flying, and the contents of the crate spilled out onto the hangar floor. Texas, York, and North all rolled out onto the hard, cold metal and lay stunned for moments that would have been crucial. They could not seem to move as a low buzzing filled their heads, before pressure was placed right under their ears simultaneously, and their worlds descended into darkness.

* * *

Blessed Victory hissed as he examined his face in the mirror of his private quarters. A once flawless, handsome face with bright green eyes had been marred by four claw marks running from his forehead down across his flat nose. He grumbled and ran a hand through his long dark hair, rubbing at the receding grey fur framing his face. In another two mutation cycles, his fur would be completely gone and he would be an advanced rate above his brothers…provided that he lived that long. Knowing his father's temper, the notion was not so likely.

Blessed Victory had been born into a powerful, yet unique union between a Lifeworker and a Warrior family. Yet, this union had had potential in the beginning. Much like the Librarian and the ancestral Didact, Blessed Victory's father had been wed to the Librarian's only child, her beautiful daughter and Victory's mother. After the birth of her five sons, the birth of his sister had caused his father an inexplicable anger. From what Victory remembered, his mother had fled and his father had taken him and his brothers to some other place, far from the reaches of the remaining Forerunner civilizations. They had been trained, had explored, had conquered, and had communicated. His father had established himself amongst the race known as the Covenant, and they had been worshipped as gods. Most of his life, up to this point, had made Blessed Victory sick to his stomach. All the violations of their sacred Mantle…his skin crawled at the thought.

His father said that soon, everything would be made right in the galaxy again, and the Forerunners would resume their place as the leading force amongst all intelligent life. Yet, thinking on this as he traced the scars that ran across his eye, and the recently dried blue blood along its edges, he didn't know whether he could continue to survive by following his father's orders or not.

And, remembering his father's temper, the notion was not so likely.

* * *

_Ahh, the questions of rebellious youth..._

_Don't worry, the Freelancers will live...for now. _

_Next chapter, we'll get an explanation as to who these Operators actually are, and what they work for, if you haven't made your own conclusions already. _

_See you soon,_

_anna1795_


	18. Chapter 16

_Sweet 16, everybody! Enjoy, and please R&R!_

* * *

**Chapter 16**

"I knew that Freelancers could be stupid, but this really takes the cake."

North Dakota gasped as a deluge of cold water splashed across his body, and he jolted upright in the cot. Julius stood above him, holding a wooden bucket and scowling, while York sat in another cot in a plain room only decorated with the banners that they had seen before.

"We were just trying to-" North started, but Julius cut across him.

"I know EXACTLY why you're here, North, and the Director was an idiot to send you three along," the older man snarled, and North lurched back in surprise at the medic's harsh tone. Then he took a closer look at what Julius was wearing: black HAYABUSA armor with alternating gold and red shoulder and knee pads. He carried two magnums at his side in holsters and two separate daggers in sheaths. He, like York and North, wore no helmet.

"Can you tell us what's going on here?" York asked quietly, and Julius' attention was diverted to the tan Freelancer.

"Just so that you can report back to the Director when we give you back to Project: Freelancer?" Julius scoffed. "No chance."

"It's not like we're going to tell him!" York protested. "We, personally, want to know what's going on with Dawn and why she needs to go back to her own planet."

"I can attest to that," came a female voice, and a woman in black MJOLNIR armor came out from under the blue banner with the constellation that concealed a separate room. She wore no helmet, and thus her jaunty blonde hair was free to flow against her shoulders. Intense green eyes stared at the medic, then at the other Freelancers, as if daring them to ask who she was. There was no need, really: the harsh voice and intense gaze suited Agent Texas quite well.

"You wouldn't understand, being outsiders…" Julius started, but the stares from the Freelancers caused the man to sigh and sit on the edge of North's bed, tiredly. "I can try and explain it to you, but some of these things, you can't understand."

"I told you of Dawn's early history on Terra Beta, after she and her mother left Reach before the attack by the Covenant. Up until her mother's death, everything seemed to run so smoothly. Then, the government set up by her mother began to fall apart with corruption and violence. Pretty soon, most of the UNSC officials that had been part of the old government had rallied under one person: a ruthless man by the name of Kao Jin. Once a minister, Jin rose to power by massacring entire towns, burning them to the ground, and threatening anyone else who opposed him with the same fate. You have to understand, these were very dark times in our planet's history," Julius paused, looking around. "At this point, we were becoming a feudal system, with two distinct groups."

"The people that had the courage or had the luck not to be attacked by Kao Jin again moved to the provinces where five distinct…I suppose you could call them 'warlords', were stationed. They were commonly known as the Operators, 'cause they helped operate the rebel group that went against Kao Jin. These Operators weren't called by their normal names out of respect, and were instead given titles that could be passed on in the events of their deaths: Blue Andromeda, White Dragon, Green Solitude, Yellow Jacket, Red Stallion, and-"

"Black Phoenix?" North interrupted, looking to the black banner with the white bird in flight.

"Yes. Dawn became the Black Phoenix, one of the most popular of the Operators, and also one of the most vicious. While Blue Andromeda, Green Solitude, and Yellow Jacket were quite peaceful and were not as accustomed to the idea of war, it was the Red Stallion, White Dragon, and Black Phoenix that were prepared to take on Kao Jin should he threaten the people who had come to the Operators for safety. When Kao Jin attacked the Operators' provinces, White Dragon, Red Stallion, and Black Dragon would defend the borders. Pretty soon, Kao Jin was drawing the attention of the UNSC, and he teamed up with a budding Insurrectionist group to make himself stronger. It looked like the two forces would tear each other apart."

"Didn't you say that Dawn's niece was taken prisoner by the Insurrectionists sometime during this?" North asked.

"Yes. Those were the Three Days Wars. When that happened, Dawn went on a rampage with the Operators, their armies, and some of Jin's forces that had abandoned him after he kidnapped a girl. It was three days of non-stop fighting, and it only ended when Jessa was rescued and Jin was driven from society. He swore that he'd come back with the rest of the Insurrectionists someday and kill Dawn and her family, and he's been living in the wild of Terra Beta all these years…until now, at least."

"Has this guy come out before?" Tex asked, folding her arms across her chest.

"No, but his son has. You met him on the _Mother of Invention_, the one called Kilt."

"THAT was Jin's son?" York exclaimed angrily, and Julius held his hands up in defense.

"Easy there. In all honesty, none of those from our branch of the Outer Colonies except for Dawn realized who he was, and she wouldn't say anything so that we didn't draw attention to the conflict. Besides, Texas took care of him for us. Our main purpose was to get into the UNSC so that Terra Beta and the surrounding colonies in our area of the galaxy could gain independence. We refer to ourselves as the IAOC, the Independent Alliance of Outer Colonies."

"So, if you were working with this IAOC, why were you involved in Project: Freelancer?" Texas asked suspiciously, remembering the conversation between the two soldiers on the Pelican some hours earlier.

"It was a means to be able to reach the UNSC while within their territory. To the Director and the other members of the UNSC Oversight Subcommittee, we were just a batch of militia volunteers from a group of Outer Colonies that so few people remember to exist. We get jack from the UNSC, and when we do, it's all either so outdated or so broken that we have to scrap it. To us, we'd be better off as our own governing body." Julius' last few words about the UNSC were deep and bitter, like he harbored a deep grudge for them, which he probably did. Given Terra Beta's history, it sounded like no one in that particular group of colonies really trusted the UNSC because so many of their former leaders had been UNSC politicians.

"Why are you the one telling us this? Why isn't Dawn here to explain it?" North asked, and Julius tensed.

"Lots of people on board this ship are…less than happy with the idea of Dawn and a bunch of her people working with the UNSC, and even less so now that you guys snuck on board. To White Dragon, you guys being here is grounds for execution." The Freelancers bristled at the threat made by this man who didn't even know them. "Now, Dawn's working it out so that you can stay until we can find a way to get you back to Freelancer."

"Do you think that talking's going to help at all?" York asked doubtfully, and Julius looked at him incredulously.

"Are you crazy?! With those two people, words don't work so well if you want to get anything done. They're fighting it out right now, a fight to the death."

"Okay…wait, WHAT?!"

* * *

"Master, our scouts have searched the ruins of Charum Hakkor as you requested," a gravelly female voice spoke into the white light of the Command center, where the six Forerunners sat on their Gravity thrones. The speaker, garbed in white armor and a white faceless mask, knelt before her superiors. "There is no sign of any sort of technology that would allow us to find our target."

"You are certain that you checked ALL of the ruins, even the most decrepit Precursor ones?" the deep growl of Eruption of Violent Salvation interrogated the lieutenant that spoke. Gold eyes narrowed in response from the white-garbed stranger.

"Yes sir. I would NEVER leave anything unchecked," she hissed in response, dipping her head lower in reverence and submission.

"Have the Prophet of Benevolence send more Covenant forces to check the surrounding planets," Father snapped his orders. "I want any sign of our target's last whereabouts, and where she might move to next."

"Of course, my lord," the Lieutenant responded with one last deep bow before turning on her heels and striding out of the chamber.

"Our impending victory grows closer with each day, my sons," Father chuckled, and they all turned to stare at him. "Though, we must always remain strong in our resolve to expand our might once again. Bloody Surrender, are you ready for your next mutation?"

"I am, Father," his son responded eagerly, and three of his four brothers leaned forward eagerly.

"Then, we shall retire to the Ceremonial Room. Except YOU, Blessed Victory," Father snapped at his fourth son, who cringed at his father's tone. "You shall remain here and oversee the continuation of our Project. That is your punishment."

"…Yes, Father," Victory snarled as his family left, and he sighed as schematic after schematic flared open in front of him, while a Monitor approached after his family had retreated.

"_You really should not provoke your father's temper in such a manner,_" the construct said in a rather oily, sweet voice, like oversweet nectar from a rotting fruit.

"I did not ask for your council, Mendicant Bias," Blessed Victory snarled, and the Monitor shied away. "Leave me in peace to obey my father's commands."

"_As you wish, my lord,_" the ancilla 'bowed' its metal body before retreating from the room again, to leave Blessed Victory to brood and reflect on his thoughts.

* * *

_Any of you recognizing a new character with our Forerunner enemies? The plot continues to thicken, like a good soup...that was a very Caboose statement. _

_Anyways, I appreciate the reviews that you're leaving, so keep it up!_

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	19. Chapter 17

****_Well, here's the next chapter. Thanks to all for reading, and things will be moving along soon!_

* * *

**Chapter 17**

Dawn drove her fist at a pale face while she pulled on wavy blonde hair, but a white armored hand blocked her assault and sent her flying through the air. She leapt back to her feet and growled at the arrogant smirk on White Dragon's face, his blue eyes glinting malevolently at her in the light of the combat room on the IAOC _Nagasaki_.

"Give it up, Black Phoenix," White Dragon hissed at his opponent, who twirled her _katana_ blade threateningly at him.

"Yeah, like I'm going to let you go through with a mindless murder," she retorted sarcastically, standing up straight again and wiping a trickle of blood from her eyes. It was imperative that she win this match; if Dawn didn't win, then the lives of Texas, York, and North were all forfeit. The very thought set an icy grip around her heart.

"You know that I CAN pull rank on you if I wanted to," her opponent pointed out. "I am a more active Operator than you, so I'm higher ranking than you are."

The ice in Dawn's heart melted in a fiery explosion of annoyance and exasperation. Because White Dragon was more involved with the workings of the IAOC and trying to keep things stable, he would have more political clout than her. Well, all the more reason to beat him.

"If you want to make this a dogfight for the position of alpha, fine. Just be ready to get your ass handed to you," Dawn retorted, charging at him at the same time that he raised his axes to defend himself.

The two warlords weren't just fighting for the lives of the Freelancer stowaways on the ship; they were fighting for dominance within the Operator ranks, and neither was willing to concede to the other.

Their blades clashed harshly, and they pressed against each other to destabilize their opponent. "Funny. I thought there was only one dog here, _bitch_," Dragon sneered, and he was flung backward by an extra show of force from the woman that he had just offended, landing square on his back and lying stunned for a moment. Dawn backed up against a wall while Dragon recovered, and Chi appeared alongside her as an amber orb.

"_This fight seems a little bit…archaic, in comparison to more preferred combat practices,"_ Chi remarked as Dawn caught her breath.

"It's just a thing that we have," her host gasped as she leant on her sword. "If you use some of the older stuff, chances are that your opponent isn't going to know how to fight against it as well."

"_True- watch your six!_" Chi shouted as White Dragon attempted to sneak up from behind. Dawn whipped around and blocked a flying axe with her blade before the other sent her _katana_ flying in the opposite direction. Both warriors, now weaponless, started grappling with each other fiercely as they tumbled onto the tile ground. White Dragon's smart AI, a shimmering specter by the designation of White River, "slammed" into Chi's orb-form and sent the two AIs tumbling through the holographic projection system, Chi shifting to her cat image in order to spar with the hooded figure continuing to pursue her. Dawn could no longer rely on her AI to give her backup, but neither could Dragon. The two were equally matched once again.

* * *

Above the training room, North rubbed his bandaged hand nervously, ignoring the small spasms of pain from where he touched the healing muscle, bone, and tissue. Theta was kicking his legs nervously while seated in mid air. York and Delta were leaning forward in order to get a better view of the fight below, and Texas and Omega were having a quiet conversation in a corner.

"_Your obsession over this girl will be getting is killed,_" Omega argued. "_Your search for the answers as to what she has to do with your past will result in all our executions._"

"You don't have any faith that Dawn can actually win?" Tex whispered back aggressively to the AI. "She's a warlord from an independent system that happens to have fought in a civil war AND worked with the project for several years before we did, Omega. I think that she can handle this."

"_Yet, why do your vital signs show a slight amount of nervousness at the prospect of her quarrel with this other warlord?_" Omega sneered in return. "_It may be time that you take things into your own hands._"

"Tex, you should come over and see this," York called back to her, and Tex cut off the conversation with Omega to join the other two Freelancers in watching the fight.

The brawl was turning nasty as each of the soldiers in HAYABUSA armor did not hesitate to throw punches, kicks, and toss their opponent to the other side of the room in their efforts to beat the other. Chi and White River were "grappling" with each other, and data bits were flying everywhere.

"**Give it up, Phoenix**_**,**_" the intercom played out what each of the Operators was saying to the other. "**You and your bastard AI don't have what it takes to save your friends**."

There was a pause. The sense of foreboding increased. The atmosphere seemed to have chilled.

"**What. Did. You. Say?**" Dawn asked slowly, putting emphasis on every word in the question.

"**You heard me**," Dragon retorted with a sneer. "**You and your botched up, no good, bastard AI-**"

He never had the chance to finish. With a growl of rage, both Dawn and Chi turned into little more than flashes of color. The speed of their attacks couldn't be matched as both White Dragon and White River were sent flying to all areas of the room, blood and data bits scattering in all directions. Their ferocity at the insult was quite alarming. North had never seen his lover look so angry. Her face was contorted into a snarl, and her eyes flashed with the amber light from her angered AI fragment.

"_North, I feel very…I'm not sure_," Theta whimpered from his position next to North. "_It's a very dark feeling, and it feels yucky._"

"_It is a simulated emotion that I am also experiencing,_" Delta spoke up softly. Omega was silent, but his color seemed to be more pronounced than his brothers.

"I think you're feeling angry," York explained to the two AIs, with a small nod from Omega as he confirmed the "emotion" that they were feeling. "You're probably experiencing what most of us are feeling at the moment, which is normal." He looked to North and Texas. "It IS normal, right?"

"From what I remember from the lessons," North spoke slowly and thoughtfully, "I think the Director did say that experiencing unusual emotions would be normal with AI implantation."

"I don't know if he meant it quite like this, though," Texas whispered, gripping the railing even harder. Her green eyes seemed to be clouded over in thought and…worry? "Not like this at all."

White Dragon gasped as he rolled onto his front, feeling the ache in his ribs and chest from where he had been punched. Blood dripped down from his forehead, and it felt like he had twisted one of his ankles. That, or Black Phoenix had broken one of his feet.

A dripping _katana_ blade appeared in front of his face, in line with his throat. The blonde man stared up into the livid face of his fellow Operator. White River had retreated from the onslaught by the AI fragment that Black Phoenix had brought back with her from the UNSC. She was good, very good. In fact, he thought, she had proven to be the better fighter with this.

White Dragon's life was forfeit. "Kill me, then," he rasped up to the dark-haired woman with blazing grey eyes. "You have the right. Just do it."

Without a word, the blade was raised up. Dragon closed his eyes. There was a gush of wind as the blade sailed through the air.

There was no pain, no sound, no bright flash of heavenly light or fiery darkness. White Dragon opened his eyes to see the blade resting on the ground in front of his face. There were no marks on his body, save for a slash through the dragon emblem on his chest. The clean black outline on the bloody white armor had a straight slash mark through its center.

Only one question came to mind: "Why?" he asked his opponent, who turned away. She was silent for a moment.

"If there's one thing that I learned from my work with the Freelancers, it's that insults will only get you so far in a fight. It's not worth taking a life for something as petty as a jab at your pride," Dawn responded somberly, sheathing her sword onto her back. She held out her hand, and White Dragon took it gratefully. A team of medics rushed over to take White Dragon from Black Phoenix, and they started ushering him towards the door.

On the way to the infirmary, White Dragon halted as the three Freelancers entered to congratulate their champion.

"I just wanted to say…I apologize for my hastiness in seeing you executed," he murmured to York, Texas, and North Dakota. They stared back at him evenly. "I just have had bad experiences in the past with UNSC soldiers, but I shouldn't have let my grudge judge you for who you are. If Black Phoenix says you're okay," he gave a toothy grin, "then you're good in my books."

"…Thanks," the Freelancers murmured as Dawn came to join them, wiping blood from her face with a towel. They turned away as Dragon was taken away to the infirmary. The group said nothing for a while. Even though the display was impressive in terms of ferocity and combat prowess, it didn't feel like a real victory.

"It's how things work with us," Dawn whispered the answer to their unspoken question. "And I'll show you how we function as a whole, so that you'll survive." She gave them a small, wry smile. "Welcome to the IAOC."

* * *

"Has there been any luck in being able to find some manner as to control the Halos, Mendicant Bias?" Father asked as he stalked through the abandoned hallway towards his private chambers, ignoring the screams of agony from his son, who was undergoing his next mutation process. The Monitor bobbed along silently and obediently, following the Forerunner.

"_Not yet_," the malignant presence answered respectfully, in a voice that seemed almost too cheerful. _"Rest assured, progress is being made in the attempts, but there have been no actual results yet beyond the simulations_."

"Keep working at it," Father responded fiercely, turning on the AI. "If we are to regain control of our mightiest weapon-"

"_And we shall, I can promise that_," Mendicant Bias responded. "_My vow to the Forerunners may have been forfeit in the past, but the force that I represent has assured me that our goals and ideals are one and the same in the end. Our processes to achieve our goals are our only differences_."

"Ah, yes," Father gave a sickly sort of purr. "Your other Master. How fares it?"

"_The process of rejuvenation is…slow_," Mendicant Bias conceded. "_The work of the Master Chief delayed our uprising, which is statistically concerning. Still, the Master is recuperating as we speak, and taking on a more…durable form; one that should be more appropriate for the current situation_."

"My condolences and praises for a quick recovery."

"_I shall be sure to pass on the message to my Master when I make a progress report_," Mendicant Bias assured the Forerunner.

"I do wonder, however," Father continued, "I know that the Gravemind has promised that my allies and myself will not be subject to its…appetite. What caused the change, the advancement in our relations?"

"_It was quite simple, really_," Bias quipped as he paused for a moment. "_As you know, the Flood is constantly evolving, becoming more intelligent with every mind that it gains into the collective knowledge from which the Gravemind controls. My Master has gained a desire beyond that of merely gaining intelligence, one that will assure us a combined victory_."

"And what might that be?" Father asked eagerly, leaning forward, his red eyes glimmering in anticipation."

"_Revenge_."

* * *

_...Not my best piece of work. Merely a means to an end. I'm still working at it, so please keep reading and reviewing!_

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	20. Flashback 2: Birth

_My discontent with the last chapter kept me up, so I came up with this to ease my troubled writing mind...and hopefully any spite generated from the awfulness of the last chapter. Here's another flashback!_

* * *

**Year: approximately 1052 Current Human Era; Location: Central Right Arm of Milky Way Galaxy**

"_Alright, Courage; you can open your eyes now." A strong male voice spoke over the Forerunner's head, and she blearily opened her tired eyes. They stung from sweat that had dripped down from her brow during the entire process, but she stared up into the face of the older Lifeworker above her, and she smiled faintly. _

"_It's not like I haven't done this before, Gentle Heartbeat of Fate," she assured her mentor. "I HAVE had five sons before this."_

"_Well, this child should be a pleasant change," the grey-haired Lifeworker chuckled. "Do you want to wash up first? I don't think you want your daughter's first memory to be that of her mother looking like she just had sex." Courage through Eternal Night blushed furiously and hurriedly agreed, using her bare hands to splash clean water across her face. _

_She took a moment to gaze at her reflection in the water: long, blonde hair was coming out in lazy curls around her face, and brilliant green eyes nearly glowing in the faint light of the private room. Tan fur had long ago receded with further mutations and Imprints, so that only the pigment from her "baby fur" was left on her sleek, flawless skin. Having had enough of gazing at herself in the makeshift mirror, Courage used a towel to rub her face clean and wipe her hands, not willing to spread any form of germ to her sixth child. A daughter? _

"_Here she is," Fate said happily as he handed a thickly wrapped bundle gently to the waiting arms of the experienced mother. "And she's a pretty little thing. I'd say that this was a success."_

_Courage through Eternal Night pulled the covers away to gaze at the sleeping baby's face, and she could not suppress a smile from illuminating her own beautiful features. The child indeed WAS beautiful; fur of a silvery-gold sheen spread across the smooth-featured face, with thin, flawless crescents of white fur on the outer corners of the closed eyes. The child was deep in sleep, but near translucent eyelids (which would later gain pigment and thickness) revealed a silver iris surrounding a slit pupil of pitch black. A healthy, perfect specimen of a female Forerunner baby. _

"_Courage," Gentle Heartbeat of Fate whispered so as not to wake the baby, and Courage looked up at the call of her name. "I hate to interrupt, but Ascendant Destiny is waiting." The smile that had graced Courage's face fell slightly. Her husband was here to see her? So soon after the birth? She nodded her consent, and her mentor opened the door to admit Courage's mate. _

_It was not immediately clear that this Forerunner was the baby's father. Pale skin made way for two "sideburns" of pitch black fur that encompassed gleaming red eyes. A proud face was surrounded with a gleaming mass of long, straight black hair. Red robes outlined with black and white patterns adorned the tall, muscular frame of the Warrior. The only resemblance that could be made between War for Ascendant Destiny and the baby in Courage's arms was the midnight black, slit pupil of their eyes; it was a common trait in the Warriors, while the gentle features were more befitting of Courage's Lifeworker blood. _

"_May I see our child?" Ascendant Destiny asked in a forced loving voice. Well, Courage thought wryly as she tilted the baby to where her husband could see, at least he was honest about not truly loving her.  
"Where are our sons?" she asked as her mate examined the child curiously. He gave a noncommittal grunt, and Courage sighed. For some strange reason, War for Ascendant Destiny did not much like it when his wife asked about their five sons. Forerunner traditions had shifted since the Great Cataclysm so that the father took on more the duties of raising the sons, while mothers focused on the daughters. _

"_Courage, did something happen to this child while she was in your womb?" Ascendant Destiny asked slowly and in a measured tone. The change in her husband's attitude had Courage drawing the baby closer to her, and her body tensed as if to flee. Her husband was raising his six claws in a threatening manner. _

"…" _The Forerunner mother refused to answer, and a clawed hand came down across her face. Blue blood ran down from three scratches that ran diagonally across one cheek, and stained the baby's face. The infant opened her eyes, and they flickered around in confusion in fright. Bless her little heart, though, the babe made no noise. _

"_What did you DO to this creature?" Ascendant Destiny snarled, and Courage slid closer to the edge of the bed. _

"_It was MY decision as to what had to be done, Ascendant Destiny," Courage growled lowly, sliding one foot off the bed, then the other. "A solution was found amidst the wreckage of Charum Hakkor, and my mother and I took action."_

"_Without my consent?!" the Forerunner male yelled angrily, but this did not daunt his wife. She rubbed her bleeding cheek against her pristine white hospital robes, staining them royal blue. _

"_The humans and the San'Shyuum had the solution, and they put it where they KNEW someone would find it. They provided us with the blueprints to stop the Flood, Ascendant Destiny. Isn't that what we work towards in the Mantle? To protect all life?"_

"_Do NOT use the Mantle to justify mutilating that…that THING!" Ascendant Destiny screamed, and his daughter whimpered. _

"_She is NOT a thing," Courage through Eternal Night growled, maternal instincts causing her hackles to rise and her face to contort into a snarl. "She is our daughter, and she will know of her rightful fate."_

"_I won't give you the chance," Ascendant Destiny growled, and he moved to block Courage's path. "Give me the thing. I will kill it."_

"_No!" Courage protested, and she charged so that her shoulder slammed into Ascendant Destiny's chest and sent him flying into the door, breaking it and allowing for a brief passage to freedom. Holding her infant daughter close, Courage through Eternal Night hopped over her ex-husband's (let's face it, there's no way that they were still a couple after this) unmoving body, and sprinted down the deserted hallway. _

_The war carrier that Courage was on, _Path of Righteous Violence_ was long and hard to navigate without practice. However, Courage through Eternal Night had plenty of practice wandering these halls when carrying her six children, and she used her knowledge and practice to speed through an innumerable amount of hallways, creating less of a patch for the angry Forerunner behind her to follow. A metallic Promethean attempted to block her path, but suddenly fell back into the hallway from whence it had come, and she continued to run. The rocking movements of her mother's body lulled the infant's whimpers to silence, and she was mercifully mute so as not to draw attention to the retreating pair. _

_A set of hands closed around Courage's upper arms, and she gasped as a strong force pulled her into a side room before the door shielded her and her assailant in darkness. A furred hand closed around her mouth, prompting her to fall silent. Faint shouting could be heard from the hallway outside, and she gave a silent breath of relief as the voice of her angry husband and his robotic troops faded into nothingness. The hand removed itself from her mouth, and a lantern illuminated the owner of the hand. _

"_Starlight of Blessed Victory," Courage sighed at the sight of her adolescent son that she had not seen for quite some time, but whose image she carried in her memory. The young male towered over his mother already in his first-rate of mutation, with pitch black fur receding into his hairline of long, straight black hair. Green eyes glimmered in the faint light of the lantern, showing worry. _

"_Mother, is everything-" the adolescent began to speak in his smooth voice, but stopped at the sight of the blood on his baby sister's face. "Did Father do something to her?" he snarled, but Courage shook her head in denial. _

"_No, he attacked me," she said hurriedly, gripping her son's forearm. "Blessed Victory, your father wishes to kill your sister. No, listen!" she pleaded as her son's face contorted in barely suppressed rage. "I need a means to escape. Do you think that you can help me?" she whispered fervently, accompanied by one tiny squeak from her daughter. _

"_No doubt about it, Mother," Blessed Victory assured his parent, and he took her by a free hand a little ways into the dark room. He knocked a wall panel aside to show a smooth, shallow slide leading downwards. "This chute will take you down to one of the landing bays. It should be where Gentle Heartbeat of Fate is right now. I think he knows more about this than I do, and I'm sure he's ready. I'll lead off Father and my brothers."_

"_You're a dear," Courage leaned up and kissed her son on the cheek before setting a foot into the chute. "Won't you come with us?"_

_Starlight of Blessed Victory shook his head. "I can't. I'll buy you about ten minutes, but then I'll bring Father and the Prometheans in this direction. You need to be out of here by then, or we'll both be in trouble."_

"_Starlight of Blessed Victory, I wish you well on your path to inheriting the Mantle," Courage through Eternal Night spoke the traditional words of farewell between a parent and their offspring, and she grasped her son's hand in a farewell gesture before nimbly sliding down the chute into pitch black. _

_Starlight of Blessed Victory counted the seconds in his head as he rearranged the dark room to make it look like a struggle had occurred, and he scratched himself to appear more disheveled. Not quite ten minutes had passed before a gut feeling had Blessed Victory open the door and shout to catch the attention of some searching Prometheans. The gut feeling had told him that his mother had successfully escaped the _Path of Righteous Violence_, and the feeling proved to be true. The enraged roar of his father that rang through the ship confirmed that Courage through Eternal Night, her daughter, and Gentle Heartbeat of Fate had escaped._

* * *

"_Where can we go, do you think?" Fate asked as he adjusted some of the controls on the sizeable shuttle that he and Courage had "borrowed" from her former husband. Courage tried to think as she sank onto a soft bed, her daughter held close to her chest._

"_Erde- Tyrene," she said after a moment. "He'll never think to look for us there."_

"_A Monitor recently updated that now might NOT be the best time to land on Erde," Fate put the control screen away and sat next to his charge. "The environment and the culture are not well suited for our retreat there."_

"_It'll take us a long time to relocate there without War for Ascendant Destiny being able to track us, right?" the Forerunner female pointed out, tucking some of her daughter's silvery-white hair out of her sleeping face. Fate paused, then nodded as he readjusted the settings of their trajectory. "Hopefully, we'll get there at a time where the technology is a bit more advanced, and the humans might know a little bit about the Forerunners."_

"_Knowledge is dangerous," Fate pointed out, but Courage shook her head. _

"_IDEAS have the potential for being dangerous, not the knowledge that forms the basis for all ideas."_

_Not willing to enter an argument with her, Gentle Heartbeat of Fate looked at the sleeping child. "Have you decided on a name for her yet?"_

"_I don't think so," Courage through Eternal Night spoke softly, looking at her daughter thoughtfully. "Mother and I made her with the specifics that the humans and San'Shyuum of the past laid out, so that we may have a means to combat the Flood forms that still exist out there. I knew that she would survive, but I haven't come up with a name for her yet."_

"_Well, we have time to think on it," Fate smiled, his facial skin crinkling the amount of graying hair on the edges of his face. "She's not going out to attack a Gravemind right now, is she?"_

_Courage through Eternal Night laughed at the notion, but her heart gripped with fear. Her nameless daughter was fated for likely death at the jaws of a creature that all beings in the universe should fear. Why was she failing to give her daughter a name when it would be one of the few things that she could hold dear before an untimely death?_

_Because the name that Courage through Eternal Night wanted to name her child, but could not bring herself to do, would inspire a false hope that there was a "light at the end of the tunnel." Still, it was better than calling her daughter an "it."_

"_Song of Rising Sky. Her name shall be Song of Rising Sky."_

* * *

_Aahhh, much better. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter a bit more than the last, and it should have explained some more for you. I'm liking where this is going, and I hope that you do as well._ _As always, please read, review, and no flames! I love hearing from you guys!_

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	21. Chapter 18

****_It is an amazing relief when one completes a chapter for an extensive story, no? There will be about two more chapters in the Nagasaki arc, then we'll get to the juicy stuff on Terra Beta. Thank you all for your wonderful support, and keep reading!_

* * *

**Chapter 18**

Dawn certainly thought that everything was going along much better than she originally thought. Aside from her confrontation with White Dragon and some passing comments, no one had really made any remarks on her return to active duty as an Operator other than they were glad that she was back. She herself was quite glad to be back where she belonged: helping her people maintain their independence, be happy, and prosper. It felt refreshing to be where she belonged, among people that shared common interests and goals. It was also nice to see that her friends were actually interested in how the other side lived, so she was happy to answer any questions that they had for her.

There were a few concerns that she had to address, however. The foremost of which was more personal: North had been drawing away from her since the Freelancers had stowed away on board the _Nagasaki_. He spent an increasing amount of time in his shared quarters with York, practicing with his domed energy shield with Theta, or simply wandering around with an air of loneliness. He didn't speak much to her or anyone else during the meals that the Freelancers shared with Dawn, Julius, White Dragon, and his second in command. There were no displays of public affection that they used to have on the _Mother of Invention_, and barely any of private affection anymore. On the fourth day of their journey to Terra Beta, she had had enough of the tension and lack of a relationship. The formality that every other person on board the ship showed her was driving her insane. She needed familiarity, a calm casualness that didn't come from years of a platonic relationship.

Dawn found North in one of his usual spots: the training room. Much like that of the one on the _Mother of Invention_, the stone tiles contained minute holographic projectors that could simulate a hard-light target for an efficient training system. Theta, sitting cross-legged on the floor some distance away thanks to the hard light projection allowed by the room, watched intently as North threw punches and kicks at the lit targets, set on an endless loop so that he could test his endurance. No helmet barred North's blonde hair from twisting and dancing around his face as he spun around to eliminate the multi-colored targets. Kick, kick, punch, kick, slam. Dawn watched, transfixed, as her boyfriend practiced in a basic technique whose deadly grace would have been more befitting of Carolina.

"Hey," Dawn spoke up finally, and North froze. She could tell through his armor that his shoulders were hunched, and his muscles were tense. He would not look at her. IT took a long time before North responded with an acknowledging hum. "How long have you been practicing?" she asked. A shrug of the shoulders was her only response, barely discernible through the flickering targets. "Exit target practice program," she barely breathed the commands, and the targets disappeared.

Theta watched the one-sided conversation tensely, nervous at his host's reactions to Dawn. When Chi appeared beside him as a cat, the young AI reached over and simulated entwining his hands in her fur. Being AIs, they had no sense of touch. It was more of a comforting reaction in a time of stress.

Dawn took a step towards North and, when he made no move to retreat, crossed the space between them in a few large steps. They simply stood for a few minutes in awkward silence, Dawn watching North while the taller man didn't meet her gaze. After the third minute of silence, Dawn snapped. "Goddamnit, North! Talk to me," she yelled, and the AIs flinched at the loudness of her tone. "If you don't tell me what's wrong, I can't fix it-"

Dawn was silenced by a pair of arms encircling themselves around her and pulling her swiftly into a purple- armored chest. Wearing her black HAYABUSA armor, she was luckily not harmed. North was holding onto her like a lifeline, using a hand to bring her head up to stare into his eyes. The look in those glistening blue orbs was so tortured, North looked to be on the verge of tears. Dawn couldn't help but release a small, empathetic noise and reciprocate the embrace. They stood in each other's comfort for a long while, while North gave her one kiss and traced his bandaged hand down one side of her face, as if making sure that she was not an apparition.

"I was scared that I didn't really know you."

Dawn leaned back to stare up into North's face when the words came out, almost as if she couldn't believe that he was saying them. "Why?" she responded, bewildered. "I'm the same person that you met in Project: Freelancer as I am here."

"It feels like I don't know anything about you," North responded quietly, his eyes searching. "I used to think that I knew enough about you, and now I find out that you're…"

"There's more to me than meets the eye?" she supplied helpfully, and North nodded.

"You're higher-ranked than me and I didn't know how people would react to us being together and it's like nobody on this ship really likes us and we're not as tough as the rest of you here-" North's rambling was silenced with a gentle kiss from his lover.

"If you were worried about all of this, you could've come to ask me about it," she chided him gently. "You can ask ANYBODY on this ship if you want to. They don't dislike you guys at all. We Terra Betans are not very trusting people, but we'll help you out if you need it. Everybody can answer your questions if you have them, and we won't think any less of you," Dawn reassured her boyfriend. He visibly relaxed, though still looked troubled.

"Has anybody been giving you a hard time about us being together?" North asked Dawn, and she chuckled slightly.

"Only White Griffin, and she's just jealous that I have a boyfriend and she doesn't." White Griffin was the lieutenant for White Dragon, while Julius, aka Black Hawk, was Dawn's second-in-command. North had only met Griffin the previous day, and could tell that she was not a pleasant person to be around.

Dawn clasped her hands around North's neck and tiptoed to touch her forehead to his. "Leave Griffin to me," she murmured, staring at him with those enchanting grey eyes. "Nobody else has a problem. It won't shake anything up," Dawn reassured him. "I promise."

Satisfied, North gave a sigh and cupped Dawn's face in his hands. "You make sure that I don't have to fight any battles of my own, don't you?" he chuckled as Dawn blushed.

"Not ALL of them," she complained, looking away in embarassment. "Just the ones that I know I need to win for you."

"Are you calling me a damsel in distress?"

"Well, that can't always be MY job."

They chuckled and were about to meet for another kiss when the door opened to admit York and Texas, both in armor and without helmets. Omega and Delta materialized on the floor beside Theta and Chi.

"PARTY IN THE HOUSE!" York crowed as he went and threw his arm over North's shoulder, pulling him down for a noogie. Texas went over to the very awkward dawn, touching her arm and giving the expression that wasn't quite a smile but conveyed the same '_it'll be alright_' meaning. "You guys about to get it on?" York asked, and the couple went scarlet with embarrassment. "I'm just messing with you," the tan Freelancer cackled. "Ease up a bit, why don't you?"

"Guys, I hate to interrupt," Texas spoke up suddenly, tense and uncertain, "but we're not alone in here."

"Well, yeah," North responded. "We have our AIs in here with us."

"_She's right_," Theta spoke up, standing with the other AIs, as tense as Texas. "_Something else is in here with us_."

Then, North, York, and Dawn felt it: an inexplicable chill and a feeling of pain, like something or someone had gone through some traumatic personal event. The hair on the back of their necks was standing on end, like a ghost was in the room.

"Theta, get back here and offline," North ordered his charge quietly and cautiously, as if speaking too loudly would provoke whatever was in the room with them. The purple AI vanished like a dimming star. The others called back their AIs as well, waiting for some reaction or some acknowledgement from whatever unseen force was in the room with them.

There came a single rattling sound, like the moan of a wounded animal. It shifted into a soft whine that, though silent, rang through all their ears.

"I have no idea what it is," York murmured, cautiously flexing his hands. North and Texas also took battle-ready stances, instincts kicking in about the possible threat, when Dawn held up her hand.

"Wait. Listen carefully," she whispered, and they all strained their ears to listen. A sound, a voice seemed to be carrying through the room like a whisper.

"_Stop…stop…_"

There came a rush of air and a terrifying amount of force, and the entire room went black.

* * *

Mendicant Bias drifted slowly through the sandstone rock formations that formed his "home". Beyond the Monitor's field of current vision, a tall metal rim stretched outward and upward for what seemed to be forever in both directions. The stars twinkled brightly in the daylight sky, even though the light of the sun should have blocked them out. The scenery of the canyon would have been pretty to passersby, but the ancilla was not here to appreciate the beauty. This trip was strictly business.

Bias gently drifted under a rock overhang into what seemed to be a tunnel system, no light from the outside being able to make its way in beyond the overhang concealing the entrance. A cloud of large bats flew out in fright at the presence of the metallic Monitor, but they stayed close to the entrance of the cave for a reason. The black cloud that was willing to risk daylight had much more to fear than the malignant Mendicant Bias; the creatures had more to fear about whom the AI was working for.

There came a soft glow of light from further in the tunnel as Bias travelled; a sickly fluorescent green coming from something that looked like mold or a fungus. Formerly, Mendicant Bias would have scoffed at the idea of even coming close to this shifting, warping organism that pulsated and glowed along the cave walls. That was before he was enlightened and had embraced the true way of evolution.

The Flood organism that had expanded further through the tunnel, like the sickly lining of some twisted esophagus, made no move to harm the intelligent life form gliding through their domain. The ancilla was of no threat to them; the AI was their ally.

Finally, Mendicant Bias stopped in a large cavern, almost completely encased in darkness save for the dim, pulsating green light. He remained still, bobbing up and down slightly in the cavern.

"_Master, are you there?_" The AI called through the silent gloom. There was silence for a moment. "_Hello?_"

A rush of air flowed through the cavern as something took an enormous breath, as if speaking was a great effort. "**What is it? Why have you disturbed by rejuvenation?**" a voice that sounded like thousands of voices spoke from the darkness, unseen by even Mendicant Bias.

"_I meant no disrespect, Gravemind,_" the AI responded meekly, sounding less intimidating but still having some control "_I have returned with news from the Enlightened Forerunners. The Father conveys his regards in your rejuvenation._"

There came a sound like a derisive sniff. "**I would not have expected such words from one who used to consider us little more than a disease. What else have you to say?**"

"_Nothing much, unfortunately. The Clone seems to have moved its position-_"

"**Clone?**" the Gravemind spoke sharply. "**What do you speak of?**"

"_The Father's wife meddled in business and created a Clone of your eternal enemy. This I found out during my most recent visit,_" Mendicant Bias reported, hesitant about the Gravemind's anger.

"**My eternal enemy**_…_" the words were spoken in such a venomous grumble that they reverberated throughout the cavern, and the various dripping stalactites above seemed to shake with the rage powering the words. "**You must leave me now. I grow weary from the rejuvenation.**"

"_At once, Gravemind,_" Mendicant Bias hastily retreated, unwilling to deal with the unsettled, reforming Flood form. There came a sound of shuffling in the darkness as green bioluminescence dimmed from overexertion. The unseen Gravemind murmured wicked words under its breath as it sunk back to hibernation: "**You that is born of thrice blood and cast through flame, your day of reckoning will be the day that the Flood shall rise again**."

* * *

_Do Graveminds freak anybody else out? The Flood reminds me of the Borg from Star Trek...if you pit the two against each other, who would win?_

_Anyways, I love you all and I hope to hear wonderful things from you soon!_

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	22. Chapter 19

****_Another day, another chapter! We're finishing up on the Nagasaki, and it looks like we've hit some turbulence on our way to Terra Beta. Please fasten your seatbelts and hold on tight!_

_Warnings: cursing and implied...past situations ahead._

* * *

**Chapter 19**

North could remember back, years ago, to his childhood on Earth. He remembered growing up with South and his two very loving parents in a cabin up in the mountains of Colorado, yet undeveloped by the ever expanding needs of mankind. As humanity had taken to the stars to quench its curiosity and need for more resources, North did not grow up in a heavily populated area and, therefore, did not have many friends. South (Michaela) held a passionate jealousy even in their childhood, so Michael had spent many of his days alone in the wilderness behind his house. He used to go out there for hours, listening to the sounds of nature as it flourished beyond his eyes, beautiful and deadly at the same time. Birdsong was his favorite sound, and he could mimic nearly every mountain bird's whistle almost perfectly (a skill that annoyed Michaela to no end). He could also recognize the sounds of an alarmed flock of birds when confronted by a predator.

And that was the noise coursing through his throbbing head at the moment after he felt something take a hold of his neural net. The three Freelancers and one Operator were all on the ground in their pain, clutching their heads in a futile attempt to stem the tortured sound racing through their minds. What sounded like a million birds screeching was blocking out all senses, and their AIs were in intense pain. The holograms were flashing different colors in their distress, but it was Delta and Omega that were screaming in tandem with the "bird."

"_MAKE IT STOP!_" they pleaded, though no one could help them. "_MAKE IT STOP, PLEASE! ALLISON!_"

Meanwhile, millions of miles away from the current position of the _Nagasaki_, the entire ship had come to a near standstill. Maine, Wyoming, and Virginia had keeled over during practice, nearly paralyzed with agony as they screamed to their vocal chords' limit. The Director and the Councilor, down in their laboratory at the time, paused in their testing as a voice screamed through the computer.

"_Why is this happening?!_" the tortured masculine voice asked no one in particular, nearly mad with the psychological, emotional, and mental torture that had increased beyond what it was used to. "_No, no! This isn't right! Where am I? What is- no. No. NO!_"

"Alpha, you must make sense of yourself," the Director demanded angrily, while the Councilor stood bewildered and limp. "What exactly is happening?" he drawled.

"Director, we must stabilize him!" the Councilor noted in alarm as he check the tortured AI's statistics. "He is getting ready to produce another fragment too soon! If he makes another copy, then he will self-destruct!"

Giving a sigh, the Director began typing into the computer to attempt to alleviate the Alpha's pain, though there was no sincerity in his actions or thoughts beyond preserving his creation for further study.

"_ALLISON!_" the Alpha screamed in his throes, agonizing at the loss of his loved one from the past and the idea that he might lose her again.

The _Nagasaki_- borne Freelancers were trying to gain control of the situation. The buzzing and screeching in their minds, exactly like what had attacked the stowaways when they had first snuck on the ship, was ever persistent and painful. They were all moaning for the pain to stop, to end the suffering they were experiencing as an inexplicable heat careened through their minds.

Instinctively, without even realizing it, North began whistling to calm down Theta, who was rocking back and forth and holding his body as he and his host were "attacked." Theta had always been curious at the human ability to whistle, as AIs had no such capability. When North was so inclined, he would satisfy Theta's curiosity and need to hear the many whistles that North could produce, and it helped calm the AI down significantly after experiencing a "nightmare." North began whistling the song of a white-breasted nuthatch, and Theta stopped panicking as much as his host calmed him down, trying to bring down the worry and pain in North's mind as well with gentle pulses through his neural net. The other AIs began calming down quite a bit as well, and the barrage against them lessened gradually.

"Keep whistling," York encouraged his friend. "Whatever it is, it seems to like it."

Taking a breath, the blonde man began using a robin's warble now, and the screeching in their head came to a dead stop then pulled out. The presence was back in the room, and had actually made itself known with the hard light projectors. A tiny shape "hopped" over to the Freelancers, gazing with curious digital eyes. It was a tiny black bird, what may have been a cross between a magpie and a raven, with long sweeping feathers and an elongated crest of feathers. The whole creature was bathed in a swirling sky-blue light, with code running across its body. The miniscule bird was an AI.

"North, I think that you can stop whistling if you want to," Dawn whispered, and North thankfully stopped. His mouth had been getting sore. "Come here," she spoke gently to the AI, who gently fluttered into her open hands. "Everyone, I would like to introduce you to the smart AI from the _Antietam_, the ship that was destroyed. Meet Chickadee."

"_Hi there!_" the AI chirped in a distinct female voice, waving a wing like a human would wave their hand in greeting. Uncertainly, the Freelancers waved back. "_Dawn, you didn't tell them about me?_" Chickadee turned to the woman holding her, sounding almost like a hurt child.

"Sorry, Chicki. It must have slipped my mind," Dawn bowed her head in mock shame to the AI, whose informality was so unlike what the others were used to with their AI fragments. The little bird flitted from Dawn's cupped hands, circled a moment, and landed on York's shoulder. "Don't get jumpy, York," Dawn chided the man as he flinched slightly at the presence of the AI on his shoulder. "When she was human, she'd use that as any excuse to start pestering you."

"_I'll do it anyway._" Chickadee responded as Delta appeared with her on York's shoulder, curious at the other's presence.

"How did you know her human donor?" Texas asked as the little green AI and the blue AI started watching each other intently.

"Chicki's actually the only living copy of one of my sister's that I have left," Dawn explained, sitting back to watch Delta and Chickadee get into a bit of a scuffle.

"You had a sister whose name was Chickadee?" North asked, curious.

"_You got a problem with that, buster?_" the bird asked, and North held up his hands in defense. The AI had some serious attitude.

"About three years ago, Chicki volunteered for developing a smart AI when things were starting to get nasty with the Insurrectionists. Just a few days after the surgery, a double agent snuck into her room and gave her a morphine overdose." Dawn stopped for a second, staring at the little bird. "Luckily, the other Operators got the bastard who did it, but my sister was gone by then. So, we used the sample and made her again."

"You have not been very lucky, have you?" York asked, and Dawn shrugged her shoulders.

"Luck is for those who can appreciate it. I'm neither fortunate nor experienced enough to really appreciate it," she replied, watching as Chickadee settled on York's shoulder. "Chicki, were you the one that nearly had us clawing our eyes out?" she asked the AI.

"_Sorry about that,_" the little bird responded, hunching her shoulders apologetically. "_It's been going on and off since…since the Antietam, I think,_" she responded, trying to remember.

"If you don't want to talk about it now, we can always do it later," Texas offered her hand to the bird, who lit down on her finger and freed up York's shoulder for a rather irate Delta. Chickadee tucked herself in behind Tex's long blonde hair.

"I guess she's comfortable now," North observed watching the smart AI sink into a 'nap.' He looked up at the clock. "Come on. We don't want to be late for dinner."

* * *

In a few minutes, the three Freelancers sat at a large metal table with Dawn, Julius, White Dragon, and White Griffin. Meals on the _Nagasaki_ always started this way, with awkward silence and little to no conversation. A few gigantic plates of food were set in front of them with the evening's meal: spiced rice with chunks of meat, roasted vegetables, and fruit preserves with bread rolls. The food here was a lot tastier than what was on the _Mother of Invention_, the Freelancers noticed; it might be because the food hadn't gone through numerous processing and packaging plants to get to its destination.

The conversation for the evening started with White Dragon, who nudged at a white scar along his cheek. "Phoenix," he addressed Dawn, who finished putting a forkful of rice into her mouth. "Have you heard any finalizations on the marriage plans for Bianca and Red Stallion?"

Dawn held up a hand to pardon herself, gulped her food down, and set her fork on her plate. "Not yet," she responded truthfully. "As of now, I think she's still undecided on a wedding dress. She sent me a note a while back asking if I had my mother's old wedding dress, and I said that when I got back, I'd help look for it."

"Assuming that we can even have a wedding." Griffin, with a pale complexion and greasy brown hair, always had something snide or derogatory to say in a conversation or an order she was giving.

"Give it a rest, Griffin," York groaned, rolling his eyes as he stuffed a jam-filled roll into his mouth. "We'll kick those Insurrectionists off the planet, and everything can go just fine."

"I'm not talking about _that_, York," White Griffin sneered, her nose crinkling in distaste at the intrusion from the outsider. She didn't clarify any further.

"What ARE you saying then, Griffin?" Texas asked with the barest traces of a growl in her voice.

"I'm just saying that there has not been a lot of success with relationships for Black Phoenix's family in the past," the brown-haired woman shrugged. Dawn froze, her fork poised over her plate of food. North glanced over at her worriedly. His girlfriend's face was impassive, but her eyes seemed to be glimmering with some unknown emotion.

"For example," White Griffin continued on her tirade despite a warning glance from Dragon, "Jessica has had two engagements in the past that have never gone through completely, and she currently has five children. Heather never seems to have a boyfriend, but she has four children and is currently pregnant with a fifth."

"Stop," Julius tried to silence his counterpart, but White Griffin gave a malicious grin and continued without pausing.

"Tina used to have a husband, but she had three miscarriages and her husband left her for the Insurrection. Chickadee was MURDERED by her fiancé because he was a double agent for the Insurrectionists! And Bianca…well," White Griffin gave a short, humorless laugh, "we know what SHE'S done to get Farjad's heart."

"And where does that leave YOU in all of this, Phoenix?" White Griffin pointed a finger lazily at Dawn, who looked up with a blank face. "Did you tell your _boyfriend_ about what happened with the last guy that YOU dated? How he just wanted a good time and left you the first chance that he could get?"

North's heart froze mid-beat. He wasn't the first person to have dated Dawn? Then again, he thought to himself, why should he be surprised? With how old Dawn was, it was natural that she had at least one boyfriend or two. Still, he glanced over at her. Though her black hair mostly concealed her face, North could tell that Dawn's shoulders were slightly tense with hurt and shame.

"_Can you really say such things to show how jealous you are?_"

White Griffin whipped around to see Chi standing on the table, in human form, with an intense glare in her eyes. "Why should you, a half-assed AI, care?" the woman snarled at the tiny amber woman.

"_All that you are saying is based off of jealousy for the fact that my host is currently in a healthy, successful relationship that deviates from the normal behavior of her family_," Chi responded evenly, though her face was stern.

"What's your problem with Dawn, anyway?" Tex asked, her eyes glinting dangerously. Both York and North were on the offensive as well, tense and ready for a fight. White Griffin paused, realizing that she was going to be outnumbered.

"The way that I see it," York started, "is that you're just like a popular high school girl; always belittling people around you because they have something that you don't and you're jealous about it. Why you've been able to get away with this for so long, I don't know."

"But-but- she's impure!" Griffin cried out in exasperation. "She's not a virgin! Who would want that?"

"Do you think that it really bothers me that I'm not the first person for her to love?" North asked, folding his arms and raising one eyebrow. Julius looked over and nodded encouragingly, a small yet triumphant smile on his face. North continued uninterrupted. "If I love her, I don't care about what her family's done. It doesn't make who SHE is as a person."

"You should be happy that there's going to be a wedding," Texas rebuked the white-armored woman. "It'll be something good that comes out of this revolution."

"I actually find it quite sad," Dawn spoke finally, her voice soft and dangerous, "that you have to resort to attacks on my family's actions and their honor to make yourself feel better and try to tear me down. Why would you do that anyway? What do you gain from it?"

White Griffin only gawked, at a loss for words, which gave Dawn an opportunity to continue. "So what if I have ten nieces and nephews, and that Tina can't have children? Or that Bianca's getting married? As long as they're happy, healthy, and they're not being hurt, I'm okay with that. You're coming to me and attacking me about what my sisters are doing because I'm the head of the family. If you have such a problem," Dawn stood up, "go to them about it. Otherwise, you have nothing to gain from talking about neither me nor my family the way that you did. Now, please excuse me. I have lost my appetite." Dawn turned to walk away from the table, and it looked like she had won the fight.

White Griffin stood up too, unexpectedly. "I guess I'm just saying that the whole bushel of apples never fall far from the tree."

Dawn whipped around, facing her offensive subordinate. "What. Did. You. Say?" she growled. North tried to get up to comfort his girlfriend. Her voice and her face both flashed huge warning signs that she was ready to shoot Griffin, cut out her tongue, and shoot her tongue.

Griffin's smile was devilish. "You heard me. I mean, you were born at least five years before your sisters were born, and they're quintuplets. From what I remember," and the offender made a mock motion of tapping her finger against her chin in contemplation, "your mom never married. And both you and your sisters all have different physical features. For all we know, your dad is some lazy drunk lying in a gutter somewhere in the inner colonies. I guess it's true that all those genes AND behaviors get passed into the next-"

White Griffin never got the chance to finish her sentence. Dawn launched herself at Griffin and knocked her to the ground, kneeling on her chest and with a dagger to her throat. Everyone stood up in alarm at the reaction.

"You can go ahead and attack me and my sisters about what we've done in the past, and I won't give a damn. But you go ahead and attack my mother-" Dawn yanked Griffin's head up by the hair and brought the dagger closer to the side of her neck, "and I'll make sure that those are the last words that you ever hear. My mom gave her life so that you could live the way you do. Pretty shitty way that you show your gratitude." Dawn let go of Griffin's hair and let her head fall to the floor. "Next time, stop when people tell you to stop." She stood up, withdrew her dagger back into its sheath along her belt, and left without a word.

No one spoke for a long moment, before White Griffin spluttered and turned to the others. "Well?" she demanded. "Aren't you going to do something about this?" Nobody said anything. "Oh, come on!" she snarled. "That bitch just attacked me! Why won't you do anything about it?"

"_You didn't deserve what you got,_" Omega growled at the woman, who balked at the malevolent AI.

"_Dawn would have been right for really hurting you,_" Theta spoke, supporting his brother. "_You should be grateful that she let you live._"

"The AIs are right," Julius added with nods from the Freelancers. "Dawn would have been within her right to gut you like a fish and feed you to the sea eagles back home."

"_It was your own stupidity and goading that caused the reaction from Dawn_," Delta added sagely. "_It was highly illogical_."

"Don't pull all that Spock crap with me, you militarized leprechaun," Griffin growled at the green AI, and then looked to her commander. "Dragon, come on! Back me up!"

White Dragon had had his head tilted down as if he was snoozing, but he brought it back up when he was addressed and gave his lieutenant a very dirty look. "Even I wouldn't stoop so low, Griffin. You got off light with that stunt you pulled," he snarled, and Griffin lurched back in alarm. Her eyes were wide with bewilderment. "You insulted more than one person with what you just said. I was actually going to take the opportunity tonight, while we were going to have a PEACEFUL dinner, and ask for Phoenix's permission to propose to Tina."

Whatever color was in White Griffin's face flooded out. She gaped like a fish out of water. White Dragon stood up abruptly, taking his lieutenant by the back of the neck. "I apologize for my subordinate's behavior," he said to Julius and the Freelancers, steering Griffin towards the door of the dining room. "White Griffin and I are going to have a discussion about her punishment, if you'll excuse us."

"Well, certainly not the best dinner conversation," Julius groaned and placed his heads in his hands tiredly.

"Do you think we should go after Dawn?" Texas asked, but Julius shook his head.

"With something like that, the best thing to do is let her blow off some steam and get her head together. Otherwise, someone's going to end up hurt with her temper."

"If I may ask," North asked, "who is Dawn's father?"

"Lad," Julius turned his somber eyes to meet all of theirs', "I can't say anything. It isn't my place. And I suggest that you do not ask Dawn about it either," he warned them. "The subject of her father is a touchy one at best."

* * *

"_North, wake up,_" Theta whispered in North's ear, and the blonde man sat up in bed in an instant, turning on the bedside lamp. York gave a grumble and turned to face the darkened wall.

"Is something wrong, Theta?" North asked his charge worriedly. The AI appeared from a holographic projector in the wall.

"_Not me,_" Theta shook his head. "_Chi wants you to go down to Dawn's room. Something's not right._"

Quietly yet with urgency, North slipped out from under the covers. He shivered at the draft that hit his bare chest, so he grabbed a woolen robe from the stand by his bed, wrapped it around his body, and exited his bedroom. The hallways were pretty much deserted, and he made his way unimpeded to the door down the hall marked with a black phoenix in flight. He pressed his ear to the door and heard rapid, panicked breathing. The door automatically opened when Chi identified his presence, and North rushed over to where Dawn sat curled on her bed, her head buried in her knees and her hands wrapped around her feet. Silent sobs ran through her body, and North wrapped his arms around her. He leaned back against the cushions of her bed and helped Dawn lengthen out, calmly stroking her head as she gave shuddering gasps to try and calm her down.

"It's okay," he whispered over and over again, pulling her tight against his chest. She grabbed at the wool robe.

"North?" Dawn finally asked when her panic attack had subsided. He tilted her head up so that she could see him, and Dawn relaxed against him. "I'm sorry about that," she apologized. "I had a nightmare about the night that my mom died."

"You don't need to apologize," he said, tracing the tattoos on her face gently with his hand. "It happens to everyone."

"I'm also sorry that I-"

"Lost it back at dinner? Don't worry about it," he said gently, giving her a tight hug. "You had every right to do that. You can't feel guilty about something like that."

Dawn didn't reply. Her breathing and her heart rate were finally relaxing a bit, and it seemed like she was falling back asleep. North made to let go and leave her to her privacy, but Dawn grabbed his hand. "Please, don't leave," she whispered tiredly, leaning against him. "I don't want to be alone right now."

"…If that's what you want," North responded after a moment. He didn't think that he'd have the energy to go back to his room anyways. Well, he thought as Dawn settled back to sleep in his arms, it was only a few hours until morning. So what if people thought weird things if he left her room in the morning? Nothing was going to go wrong for Dawn.

Not if he could help it.

* * *

_I know that some of you might not qualify that as one of my "end passages" that take place somewhere else. I'll make it up to you in the next flashback chapter. Chapter 20 will be the landing on Terra Beta, and 21 will be more flashbacks about Courage through Eternal Night and her journey._

_'Til then,_

_anna1795_


	23. Chapter 20

_I want to thank you all for sticking with this story for as long as you have. I'm really excited (and a little bit scared) about where it's going to go from here on out. I'm gonna make it happen though. _

_This will probably be a two-part fic. I'll probably cut off "Retribution" at about Chapter 40, then start up again in "Red vs Blue: Revenge." It depends on reception for the rest of this story. _

_Here's chapter 20. Enjoy!_

Warning: language...you're probably used to it

* * *

**Chapter 20**

North lazily batted a hand over his face as something pecked gently at his forehead. He didn't want to get up right now; he was way too warm and comfortable to have anything disturb him. Dawn lay in his arms, still asleep and curled against his chest comfortably. The pecking was persistent, and he blearily opened one eye to stare at his "attacker." A beady black animal eye stared down at him in disbelief.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here," North told the disgruntled Predator, who flapped his wings indignantly a few times and hopped over to another perch, not pleased with the man's presence. Tensing his muscles and then releasing them, North sat up a little bit to take a look outside the porthole window to the starry space outside.

However, it wasn't so starry anymore. A large, crystalline blue and green sphere had appeared outside of the ship (or rather, the ship was currently orbiting the planet). Sounds from elsewhere in the ship showed increased activity as the Outer Colonists neared their home.

North gently nudged the sleeping Dawn in his arms. "Time to get up," he whispered in her ear, but the woman gave a mumble and returned to her sleep. He gave a poke, and Dawn finally opened her eyes, blearily staring up at him. He tilted his head towards the window, and Dawn shifted so that she could see the planet outside.

"Terra Beta," she whispered, leaning up slightly. Suddenly, she turned to North and began blushing furiously. Though nothing beyond sleep had happened during the night, each of them felt that what had happened should remain a secret. Dawn propped herself on her knees and blushed, while North scooted away and leaned against the wall. They wouldn't meet each other's gaze.

"I guess I should…get ready to leave," Dawn finally said after a while, and North nodded furiously, using the opportunity to walk to the door. "Thank you," Dawn called after North, and he gave her a smile before disappearing into the hallway. Everyone was so busy running around with supplied and notes to different commanders that they paid no notice as North went back to his and York's room.

"I'm guessing somebody got lucky last night?" York teased as he finished putting on his chest armor. North shut the door with a snap.

"NOTHING HAPPENED!" he almost yelled, but managed to keep his voice down enough to not catch anybody's attention from outside. York laughed.

"Ah, denial," the auburn-haired man shook his head in amusement at North's fluster. The blonde did not respond, instead quickly changing into his black body suit and pulling out his purple armor. "You don't have to tell me all the details, you know. Just the really juicy stuff."

"For the last time, York," North hissed in frustration, "Nothing. Happened."

"Dude, I'm just messing with you," York laughed, putting on his helmet. North quickly finished up and, since they had brought no personal belongings with them on this trip, they both exited their quarters to make their way to the main hangar. Texas was already there, and she was staring out the window at the planet below, as well as a point just above it. A round silver moon sat in orbit a distance above the planet. Terra Beta was truly a second Earth.

"What's up?" Tex asked as the other two Freelancers joined her, leaning against the railing to keep out of the way of the other IAOC soldiers around them. They shrugged and looked out the window with her. The planet below was mostly oceanic blue with large patches of green and brown forming the continents of the planet below. Here and there, large settlements and cities could be seen, though not nearly on the magnitude of Earth. It looked like they were seeing a past Earth instead of the present. The moon above lay barren, no lunar base immediately evident.

"Hey, look at that," North pointed downward, towards the southern pole of Terra Beta. They all looked downwards toward a smaller polar ice cap, where a space-borne object floated serenely above the planet's atmosphere. They gasped as the structure that they had only every heard about and seen in pictures came into view. Like a thin ribbon of silver metal cast off from some gigantic hand, the ring-shaped object glinted in the light of the distant yellowish sun of the planetary system. It seemed to reflect part of the planet's surface on the inside of its gigantic interior edge.

"You know, we kept telling the UNSC that this was found orbiting our systems when we first arrived," a voice came up behind them. "Things were so busy with the Covenant, though, I think that they forgot to log that we had one in this colony system." Dawn came up behind them in her HAYABUSA armor, latching her katana to her back.

"You never told us that you had a HALO orbiting your planet!" York said indignantly. Dawn shrugged.

"The truth is, we don't really talk about it much. We haven't really had the chance to send a recon team to the Halo to see what actually lives on it, so I never really thought to mention it to any of you guys," she said apologetically. "It's cool, though, isn't it?"

"You haven't had the chance, or you're worried that there might be some Flood on the ring?" North asked curiously.

"A little bit of both, honestly." The answer made sense. After the reports came out from ONI that a Flood epidemic had been found on the Delta Halo about four years ago when the Elites and the Master Chief went to stop the firing of the Halos by the Covenant, nobody really seemed too keen to extensively explore any of the eight Halos that the UNSC had cataloged.

"WARNING: ALL HANDS, REPORT TO EMERGENCY BATTLE STATIONS IMMEDIATELY. APPROACHING UNKNOWN VESSEL, POSSIBLY INSURRECTIONIST. AGAIN, ALL HANDS, REPORT TO EMERGENCY BATTLE STATIONS AND PREPARE FOR ENGAGEMENT."

The voice of Chickadee rang through the PA system, and the IAOC soldiers all started rushing to drop off their packages and report to their stations. The Freelancers and Dawn had all jumped at the loud warning, accompanied by the wailing of an alarm from somewhere on the ship.

"Guys, it might be beneficial to get close to a Pelican," Dawn said calmly, though she seemed disturbed by the battle call. "And get your AIs online as well."

They didn't need to be told twice to online their AIs. Theta, Delta, Omega, and Chi all blossomed into existence.

"_If I may suggest, Dawn,_" Delta spoke up, "_will you allow me to integrate with this ship's artificial intelligence to help provide a plan of action?_"

"Good idea," Dawn agreed, typing into a ship's computer. "We'll need a level head with this situation. In fact, all of you guys can go ahead and integrate with Chickadee. She'll need all the help that she can get."

"Do you think it's a good idea for us to let them help out with keeping off some Insurrectionists?" North asked uncertainly as Chickadee sprung to "life" and began conversing with the AI fragments. "I don't know if they'll all be ready to handle something like this."

"Do we really have a choice?" Texas asked as the ship gave an ominous lurch from enemy fire. "Huh. I guess that it IS the Insurrectionists."

"Ma'am," a soldier with three gold stripes on his shoulder ran up and bowed to Dawn. "The Insurrectionist vessel has been identified as the _Cote de Azure_."

"Damn," Dawn hissed as the runner retreated to his post. "It's Jin's flagship. How did he know that we…were…" Dawn cursed loudly and punched the ship's wall, creating a neat dent in the hard metal. "Kilt. He must have found out that the IAOC was leaving and told his dad. Sneaky bastard."

"Dawn, we're here for you if you need us to be," North placed a hand on his girlfriend's shoulder, tossing a look at the other Freelancers that dared them to argue. Dawn flashed him a grateful smile.

"Thanks you guys, but my top priority is making sure that you stay safe while you're with me, and I intend to make sure that I don't fail," she replied. "Stay close to a Pelican until I can give the order for us to retreat. I'll stay safe, don't worry," she reassured them at the sign that they were going to protest. "I just need to check whether we can salvage the situation or scrap it and abandon ship. Now, go," she said with finality, like she was delivering an order. The intensity of the situation gave no room to argue, and the Freelancers shakily made their way to a vacant Pelican.

They certainly didn't have to wait long. After several more shots against the _Nagasaki_ and the sound of several holes being made in the hull, Dawn's voice rang throughout the PA. "ALL PERSONNEL, REPORT TO EVAC SHIPS AND PREPARE TO ABANDON SHIP. ALL PERSONNEL, REPORT TO EVACUATION STATIONS."

"Things must be bad," Texas mused as she grabbed a rifle for herself and York, then tossed a sniper rifle to North. Their AIs came back and projected themselves off their hosts' armor.

"_The ship's life support systems took a big hit,_" Theta reported. "_There's no way to save it._"

"You guys did your best," York consoled the AIs, but Omega only gave a hug.

"_Our BEST is not what's going to keep us from burning up in the atmosphere,_" the AI snarled before he was quieted by Tex and offlined. A steady stream of soldiers were all retreating towards the available Pelicans, Longswords, Sabres, and an Albatross available on the ship. Julius directed about fifteen soldiers with markings for their allegiance to Black Phoenix and Red Stallion onto the ship, taking a count of the heads. The grey-haired man gave a huff and took stock of how many more people they could squeeze in with the Freelancers and his allotted soldiers. Grumbling, Julius shouted out into the crowd of soldiers for a squad of soldiers for Blue Andromeda to come on board. At this rate, though, the Pelican would fill up quickly. The soldiers already on board were already strapping themselves into the safety harnesses or attaching themselves to a sturdy object with karabiners. Two of the soldiers had taken positions as co-pilots of the ship.

Two Longswords, a Sabre, and two Pelicans had all rocketed away into the starry vastness, their hulls almost bulging with the overcrowded soldiers eager to escape the dying ship. Sparks flew as the hull of the _Nagasaki_ began falling apart, and the Pelican that the Freelancers had boarded lurched ominously. Another Pelican, still loading its overcrowded hull with soldiers, slid across the tilting platform and dropped into space. The ship hurriedly closed its gangway, but three or four soldiers were left to drift out into the endless vacuum, unable to be saved before their oxygen reserves shorted out.

"We can't wait much longer!" the main pilot of their Pelican shouted over the creaking metal of the _Nagasaki_. "If we don't leave now, we're dead!"

"You hold your position!" North shouted back to the pilot as the ship rocked again. "We wait for Black Phoenix to make it to another ship or to ours, but we're not leaving yet!"

The order startled the IAOC soldiers, and even more shocking was the fact that the two pilots, both wearing the colors of Blue Andromeda, complied. Blue Andromeda's soldiers were notorious for being rather stubborn and stuck to following their own chain of command, not another Operators'.

"There she is!" Tex shouted, pointing as Dawn ran across the wrecked ship platform to catch up to the Pelican. She signaled for the remaining Sabres, Pelican, and Albatross to take off as she ran up the gangway and latched on.

"Go!" Dawn snapped up to the pilots, who primed the engines and took off after the Albatross. She let out a shaky breath, but the IAOC was not out of trouble yet. They had to gain distance from the _Nagasaki_ before the ship initiated its self-destruct to take out the enormous frigate bearing down on them from above. Enemy fire was rocking the shielding on all of the Evac ships as they sped towards Terra Beta, and repeated enemy fire slowly took out a Pelican and a Sabre on their way down. "All Evac ships, initiate a Cyclone maneuver around Albatross 094," Dawn ordered through the mike in her helmet, and the Longswords, Sabres, and Pelicans converged around the largest dropship, forming a sort of protective bubble to guard the bulk of the soldiers.

"Ready to set off the self-destruct remotely?" York asked as Dawn looked out to watch the _Cote de Azure_. The enemy frigate bore down on the escaping ships, so eager that they were brushing within meters of the damaged _Nagasaki_'s hull.

"Chickadee, now!" Dawn shouted, and the smart AI blossomed to life near the cockpit.

"_Self-destruct in 3…2…1…_"

Like its namesake back in the Second World War, the _Nagasaki_ exploded with the force of the charges left on board the ship, captivating the retreating soldiers with its brutal beauty. The wreckage and force from the blast caught the _Cote de Azure_ right at its center, severing and shattering the frigate like a bullet through glass. The Pelican rocked with the backlash from the _Nagasaki_'s destruction, and system alarms began to blare.

"We're going in too fast!" One of the pilots shouted back. "I can't hold it in!"

"Brace for impact!" Dawn shouted as the remaining ships fell to the planet's surface in the wake of the _Nagasaki_'s light and a rain of wreckage.

* * *

"Man, are you sure that everything's all smooth back home?" a young man with violent red hair reclined against the wall of the _Mother of Invention_'s lounge room.

"Sure it is," Kilt answered his friend, taking a draw on his cigarette. "I just had to tell my old man that Black Phoenix was headed back home, and he'll take care of the rest. That bitch won't know what hit her."

"Funny," a voice interjected. "I was just about to say the same about you, old chap."

The five maintenance men all stood up at the sight of Wyoming, Maine, and several ODSTs at the door to the lounge room. All of the intruders were armed with assault rifles or magnums.

"Kilt Jin, you are under arrest," Wyoming came up behind the unsavory young man with a pair of handcuffs. Kilt gave a slight struggle before the cold metal clapped around his wrist. His other friends were being taken prisoner as well and shoved out of the room.

"On what charges?" Kilt snarled up to the white-armored Freelancer.

"Treason, assault and battery, and attempted murder," Wyoming answered, "to name a few."

"This is crazy," Kilt struggled as both Wyoming and Maine pushed the Insurrectionist towards the brig. "I didn't do anything wrong! I just did you guys a favor, taking care of that bitch."

"I don't believe that the Director sees it that way," Wyoming snarled in response to the criminal's complaints.

Sigma appeared, walked alongside them in mid-air, his color and flame more intense with heightened anger. "_Nor are Admirals Tyette and King, it seems_."

Kilt's face turned white. "What do the Admirals have to do with anything?" he asked shakily.

"It seemed that our esteemed commanders were taking an interest in what was occurring on Terra Beta, dear boy," Wyoming snarled as he shoved the handcuffed redhead into his cell in the brig. "And you just tried to have their correspondents in the IAOC killed, along with Freelancers, by UNSC-sanctioned weapons and orders that were made to look like you blokes were attacking a URF ship. They are certainly not happy about it."

"Well, it's too late now," Kilt cackled from where he tried to sit up on the floor. "There's no way that they could've survived the attack."

"_You are mistaken_," Gamma countered, appearing on Wyoming's shoulder. The white in Kilt's face was replaced with an angry crimson.

"If you want the job done right, you have to do it yourself," Wyoming growled to the traitor, beckoning Maine to follow him out as Kilt gave an enraged scream at the news of his failure.

* * *

_Great. You have incurred the wrath of two Admirals. _

_Admirals Tyette and King will play a part later in this story and in Revenge. _

_Keep reading and reviewing please! I'll post the next flashback very soon. _

_Live long and prosper,_

_anna1795_


	24. Flashback 3: Relocated

****_Success! I finally got this off my chest and to you for your curious eyes. The mystery of Courage through Eternal Night and her role in this story continues. You won't be expecting this, I'm sure!_

* * *

**Year: 2513; Location: Earth (formerly Erde-Tyrene)**

"_And you're sure that NOW is a good time for me to be going down onto Erde-Tyrene?" Courage through Eternal Night tied her long blonde hair back with a piece of blue ribbon with practiced ease. She turned to her mentor, the ever patient Gentle Heartbeat of Fate._

"_My probe indicates that now is a good time," the older Forerunner responded with his infinite patience, analyzing the customs and practices of the planet's society. "Humanity advanced significantly in their technology, and are not as stricken with wars like in the past. Also, they are beginning to expand to other planets, so it won't be nearly as crowded. Remember when we sent the probe in their 22__nd__ century?"_

_Courage shuddered at the memory, then turned away from the crystalline planet below them. "And we've still been laying a false trail for War for Ascendant Destiny?"The older Forerunner nodded. "Good. I'd rather he not find us here."_

"_Mother," a child's voice spoke, and Courage knelt down to stare into the very serious eyes of her young daughter. In the 1500 years since her daughter had been born, with so much time spent in a modified Cryptum, it looked as if the young Forerunner girl was only about twelve years old. Long white hair flowed in a neat braid down to the small of her back. Her fur had mostly receded back into her hairline, and the white crescents that had been around her face had disappeared save for two nearly indistinguishable indents in the skin. Golden skin and white hair, coupled with pale eyes, gave the impression that this girl was strange and to be avoided. That was how Courage preferred to think of it, anyways. _

"_Mother, will you return soon?" Song of Rising Skies asked her mother, a look in her eyes daring her mother to lie to her in the most innocent manner. Courage grasped her daughter's forearms and drew her close into a hug. _

"_I will send for you as soon as I can," she reassured her daughter, pulling a silver chain from around her neck and attaching it to her daughter's own. The black ring-shaped pendant hug somewhere about the girl's collarbone. With one last hug, Courage stood up and grabbed the sack of human clothes and notes on their behavior and customs for her to reference. She ruffled her daughter's pearly white hair on her way to this new planet. _

_This new home._

* * *

**Location: Galveston, Texas, United States of America, Earth**

_It was WAY too hot out. _

_Even with the Forerunner's amazing adaptability encoded in their genes, Courage couldn't help but wipe sweat from her brow as she trudged down the dusty dirt road to her apartment. She and Fate had purchased it remotely, and the realtor seemed happy to have it off their hands. It had been on the market for at least five years, and the bank had been threatening to foreclose on the building if the real estate agency hadn't sold SOMETHING. Courage had the whole building pretty much to herself, which was just fine. Fewer people around meant fewer questions. _

_The trees were halfway from changing to their autumn colors, a mixture of deep green and pale yellow-green. A few children or young adults were running around in the abnormal fall heat, riding on bicycles or playing with rubber balls. A few people stopped to watch Courage as she continued along the side of the road (per human custom), curious as to who this teenage "human" was. She marveled at them as well. The way that humanity had bounced back after the firing of the Halos was truly astounding. Her mother would have been proud to see how the entire species has bloomed. _

_Something collided with Courage's leg at high speed and fell to the ground with a squeak. Pausing, she looked down to see a small girl, about twelve human years old with layered black hair and bright brown eyes sitting on the ground at her feet, having run into the denim of her pants. The small child reminded Courage of her own daughter in so many ways, from the bright curiosity in her eyes to the exercised eagerness that came with maturity. The small child stood up and bowed her head, her black hair flipping downward awkwardly. _

"_I'm SO sorry for running into you like that, miss," the child apologized in a thick Southern accent that Courage still had some trouble completely understanding. Still, she gave a small smile to the polite young girl. _

"_It's alright," she responded reassuringly, correcting the girl's hair as she turned her head upright. The little girl giggled as the blonde woman neatened her hair and set its layers right again. _

"_Rosie!" a young male voice called from across the street. A boy, probably about fourteen (as old as she appeared) ran across the abandoned roadway from a Victorian-style, powder blue house with manicured lawn and white fence. He stopped to correct the horn-rimmed glasses on his face, straighten out his green t-shirt, and dust off his jeans. "Don't scare me like that, little sister," he chided his sibling in a concerned Southern voice while the child hung her head in shame. "Did you apologize?"_

"_Yes."The girl gave a pathetic sniffle, and her older brother seemed to melt at the sight of his saddened sister. He gave a sigh and pointed at the house._

"_Alright, go and have Mom take a look at that scrape on your knee," he told his sister, and that's when Courage noticed the reddened scrape on Rosie's knee. _

"_It's alright," she said, halting the girl. "I'll take care of it." She pulled a bottle of disinfectant spray out from her pocket, shook it, and sprayed some onto the girl's wound with practiced care and patience. The scrape hissed angrily as foam indicated the eradication of germs that had begun to make their home in Rosie's knee. The little girl stared down in fascination as the liquid foam ran down her leg and into her white tennis shoes, but without the pain of the iodine solution that her mother would put on her many bumps and bruises when she went out to play. Courage took the wide ribbon from her hair, allowing the blonde mass to float in the hot breeze of the Texas autumn, and tied it around the girl's wound. "Be sure to wash off that stuff tonight when you take a shower," she instructed little Rosie, tying off the ribbon skillfully. "It should be better in the morning."_

"_Thank you very much!" the small girl bounced up and down with glee at the older girl's first aid skills. Rosie's brother could only stare in amazement at how this complete stranger, new to these parts obviously, had just went ahead and fixed his sister up. With a wave of farewell and a spring to her step, Rosie dashed back off to her home across the street, kicking up fallen leaves as she went. _

"_I guess I should say thank you," the boy responded to Courage, who gave a smile. _

"_It's what I do," she replied. "Now, can I ask you a question?"_

"_Anything, for what you just did there," the boy responded eagerly, pushing his glasses back up his nose. _

"_I'm moving into this apartment complex here in town, and I have the address, but I don't know where it is," she explained, holding out the receipt for the sale of her new home. "Can you point me to where it might be?"_

_The boy glanced at the paper. "You're in luck," he informed her. "It's just down the road here and to the right at the end of the cul-de-sac. You need me to show you the way?"_

"_No, that's okay," Courage responded, hoisting her pack on her shoulder again. "I really should get there and start cleaning up before my relatives get here."_

"_I'm Leonard, by the way," the boy introduced himself. "Leonard Church. And you've just met Rosie, my little sister. If there's anything that we can do for you, just let us know and we'll be happy to help."_

"_Thank you very much," Courage responded. There was an awkward pause. "Oh!" she realized. "You want me to tell you my name, now." Stupid human customs, she though bitterly._

_That was when Courage realized a problem. She didn't have a human name, and she couldn't just say her Forerunner name. It would make her look like a crazy person if anyone else found out. Hurriedly, she looked for something to inspire a name. An advertisement on a nearby tree displayed that there would be a showing of an old 21__st__ century movie at the local movie theatre, 'Alice in Wonderland.'_

"_My names…" she paused for a second. "Allison. My name is Allison."_

* * *

_Were you expecting THAT?!_ *_evil chuckle* _

_More is on the way! Keep reading and reviewing, you wonderful people._

_'Til All are One,_

_anna1795_


	25. Chapter 21

****_I'm on a roll, people! Here's chapter 21 for you guys, and thank you for all the wonderful reviews!_

* * *

**Chapter 21**

**Location: UNSC Defense Platform **_**Babylon**_** Station**

Admiral Bradley King gave a fierce growl and rubbed his temple with two fingers. A wicked headache was forming in his head, and it felt god awful. He certainly didn't need all of the problems that he had to deal with this morning.

First, there came the report from the _Vega_ that a UNSC patrol group out in some of the rebuilding Outer Colonies had been granted permission to fire on a planet-bound URF frigate. When he had asked about who had sent the message, the commander of the _Vega_ had responded with a shrug and a bat of the eyes. Needless to say, King had not taken this lack of communication well.

Then came the message from the _Babylon's_ "smart" AI, Achilles, that the orders had been scrambled to have a UNSC frequency, but had actually belonged to the Insurrectionists. The URF ship that they had been given permission to fire on was actually a ship belonging to the Independent Alliance of Outer Colonies who, as he repeatedly explained to the generals on his command station, were NOT Insurrectionists and were NOT to be treated as a threat. The _Vega_ had reported to the nearest command outpost and its crew placed under quarantine until this whole mess could be straightened out.

One last message from the area where the IAOC ship, the _Nagasaki_ had been attacked, detailed that there had been some casualties but that his correspondents in the IAOC had survived.

That was one of the only good pieces of information to have happened all day.

The part of the message that had come to him directly about the attack was that a trio of soldiers, known as 'Freelancers', had been on board at the time the _Nagasaki_ had been shot down. With a sneaking suspicion, King had sent a message over to his correspondent over at Section III, Admiral Miranda "Mia" Tyette for some insight into one of ONI's projects. The response was that he would be debriefed about the project in the morning.

King tried to recompose himself as he straightened out folders on his desk to appear more organized then, for lack of anything else to do, spun around in his rolling office chair like he used to do in his father's study when he was a child. He let his chocolate hair fling about his face and giggled softly like a little boy as he continued to spin while he waited for Mia.

"_Sir, there are two people outside waiting for you,_" the red projection of Achilles, in ancient Greek armor with a plumed helmet that obscured his face, appeared on the pedestal on King's desk. The Admiral immediately stopped and straightened himself out. He was not expecting TWO people.

"Let them in, Achilles," he commanded the AI, rising from his seat to greet the visitors. He gave a respectful nod to the fair-haired, blue eyed Admiral Tyette…then gave a jump and a smart salute to who was accompanying her: a grey haired, older man who looked as if he had traveled to hell and back several times with that haunted look in his eyes.

Considering the recent wars and the stress of billions of lives on his shoulders, Bradley could not blame his superior, Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood for his faded appearance.

"At ease, Admiral King," Lord Hood spoke tiredly, waving aside the formal salute. King offered Mia and Lord Hood a seat across his desk, which they gratefully accepted.

"Sir, I never expected you to come aboard the station for something like this," King expressed his surprise.

"I never expected that I'd have to, Bradley, but desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say," Lord Hood gave a thick sigh. King reached into a drawer and drew out a tray of Swiss chocolate and a flask of brandy.

"With your permission, sir," Bradley offered the refreshments to his two visitors. "I know it's still on-duty hours, but you look like you could use it." Lord Hood grabbed the offered glass as King put in a legal amount of brandy, then poured the same amount for himself and Admiral Tyette.

"I've been informed by Ms. Tyette," Admiral Hood started, "that you were inquiring into the Section III classified projects for some research into a report you received?"

"Yes sir, though I feel that I may have intruded on something I shouldn't have."

"It depends on the situation," the older man responded, coaxing Bradley and Mia to explain about their correspondence with the Outer Colonies and the IAOC, and about the problems with the Insurrectionists.

"I've heard about Terra Beta and this IAOC," Hood mused as he took a sip of liquor. "It's run by those five Operators, correct?"

"Codenames Blue Andromeda, Green Solitude, White Dragon, Yellow Jacket, Red Stallion, and Black Phoenix," Mia explained. "Red Stallion and Black Phoenix are both former UNSC personnel."

"I mainly took interest because of your intelligence report on Red Stallion," Lord Hood addressed Tyette casually. "Admiral King, what prompted you to look into the Freelancer project?"

So, King explained about how the report came in from the _Vega_ and the mixed up message, and how the IAOC frigate had been shot down technically on UNSC orders. Lord Hood seemed to muse for a second.

"That is quite disturbing that it happened. I'm a bit reluctant to recognize the IAOC, but they have shown that they will work with us if we need it. For example, isn't Black Phoenix a Freelancer agent?" he asked Admiral Tyette.

"WAS a Freelancer agent. She sent in her resignation because of problems with the Insurrectionists."

"Project Freelancer is an ONI sanctioned project modeled partially on the Spartan program," Lord Hood explained, "with the intent of testing out a soldier's capabilities with an AI in the battlefield."

"The Project is run by Doctor Leonard Church," Admiral Tyette included, showing the personnel file from the large stack in front of her. A solemn man with graying hair and glasses stared out of the photograph at Bradley, causing a shiver to go up his spine. "The Project's subjects are a series of military and civilian volunteers that are designated by the names of the United States."

"There must be some purpose for sending the Freelancers out to Terra Beta along with Black Phoenix aside from just stopping an Insurrectionist uprising, and I want you two to find out what it is," Lord Hood spoke firmly and with the conviction of a much younger man. "You may designate a crew to go and assist the IAOC as you may, as wel as investigate what's going on within this alliance."

"Sir, I also found a report from several years ago that might pique your interest," Bradley interjected, drawing out an aged piece of paper. "It was reported by a UNSC military outpost on a nearby moon that a Halo, classified as "Alpha Halo", was in orbit around Terra Beta."

Hood's face, by some miracle, grew paler. "Another Halo? You may want to choose carefully as to who goes on that mission for or with you," he advised hoarsely, spooked by the report from years ago. The number of Halos now in their system could increase to nine. Just another worry on his soldiers and his shoulders. He stood up abruptly, returned the salute that the two Admirals gave him, and left to think on the situation.

"Does the Lord Admiral seem a little distracted to you?" Bradley leaned in close to whisper to Mia. "Speaking in confidence, of course."

Mia shrugged her shoulders in her crisp white uniform. "He's had his hand in ONI from the start, and he gets concerned when one of the projects gets attacked. No, he has a right to be worried, as do we."

"You mean with that Halo above Terra Beta?" King asked, and the platinum-blonde woman nodded.

"Halos usually orbit above planets with that Forerunner technology, and you remember the attack by the Didact a few months back?"

"How could I forget?" he retorted. "That was a mess."

"We need to send in some experienced people to handle this one," Mia mused, leaning back in her chair. "People that have had experience with Forerunner technology before. Achilles, bring up personnel files on all past and current enlisted people that have had direct experience with the Forerunners."

"_I thought that you'd never ask,_" the Greek warrior AI quipped back, and a myriad of tiny squares appeared around him, revolving in circles around his body. "_I already went through and selected a few personnel that might be able fitted for the job._" Most of the squares disappeared, save for a select few that expanded and showed their details along with photos.

"I think that this could work," Bradley reviewed over the files Achilles had selected. "Strong team, lots of experience and energy. This will work quite nicely."

"I'd better go with this one, I think," Mia stood up, and King snapped his head up in surprise.

"Why?" he asked. "You haven't been on the battlefield in a decade."

"In case you haven't noticed," Mia replied icily, "this is not a battlefield. It's simple reconnaissance. And honestly," she added on an afterthought as she made her way to the door, "I'm still kind of uneasy letting that Halsey woman near any sort of Forerunner technology without supervision. Good day, Bradley." She saluted, and was off before another word could be exchanged.

* * *

**Location: Eastern Swamplands, Terra Beta, Gamma-52 Solar System**

North gave a choked cough as he pulled himself free from his protective harness, though held on because of the steep angle of the wrecked Pelican. The others on the Pelican that he could see were either unconscious or just beginning to revive. However, looking to the front of the ship, he saw that the cockpit's glass had cracked on impact with the hard earth below, the metal was bent inwards, and the two pilots lay limp in their harnesses, heads at skewed angles. The poor men were both dead, dying almost instantly on impact. North hoped that it had been painless, at least.

Groaning, the purple-armored Freelancer tugged himself free and landed in a small puddle of water that had accumulated on the bottom of the Pelican. The ship was tilted at a near-ninety degree angle in a swampy environment. The gangway had been bent almost in half from the impact, but it allowed for a few people to get out of the ship at a time. Already, the survivors were clambering out onto some nearby mangroves.

Shakily, North steadied himself and trudged through the water to where Dawn was holding her head in her hand, slowly coming back to the land of the living. "Are you alright?" he asked her as he detached her karabiner from the railing that it was connected to.

"Yeah, fine. And you?" Dawn asked as he righted herself on the tilted floor and started detaching other soldiers' karabiners form the ship. North gives a nod.

"Who got me drunk and hit me on the head with a sledgehammer?" York groaned as he unsteadily regained consciousness, then gave a low grumble of pain, holding his leg. North made his way over and saw that a large piece of fractured metal had driven itself through part of York's thigh when they had crashed, and a thin trail of blood oozed from the crack in York's armor.

"Tex, can you give me a hand with this?" North beckoned the black Freelancer over, and they took up respective positions. North held York steadily at an angle that wouldn't aggravate the wound, while Texas gave a decisive yank and drew the metal from York's leg.

"SON OF A BITCH!" York screamed out, then slumped in North's arms and began taking heaving breaths.

"Let's get him outside," Tex said to North, and the two of them supported York on their way out of the wrecked Pelican and onto a strong set of mangrove roots.

The air was hazy with fog, and a thick layer of dark green leaves concealed much of the fading sunlight trying to get into the swamp. A myriad of birdsong and insect buzzing rang through the air, though it was not enough to disguise the sounds of the surviving soldiers keeping their balance on other root systems or standing warily in the water, rescuing supplies from the ship.

"Lay him down here," Julius instructed, and York was set on his back with North, Tex, and Dawn surrounding him. They carefully took off his helmet, and York gave a gasp of air. He was unhealthily pale, even in the fading light. "Delta, can you give me a report?"

The hologram came forward, but Delta's form was laced with small amounts of static as he readjusted himself. "_York's self-healing unit was damaged in the crash, before he was impaled by the metal,_" the AI reported, staring down at his host's tired face. "_The unit cannot be repaired with the damage inflicted to York's armor._"

"Just a scratch," York hissed as he tried to sit up, but North pushed him back down to keep the tan Freelancer from sitting up.

"Men," Tex groaned as she shook her head.

"If we want to save York's leg, I need better medical supplies than what we've got on us," Julius said to Dawn. "We couldn't save much of the supplies from the _Nagasaki_ before it blew up, so I'm left with only some aspirin and a few bandages. It's not gonna be enough to hold up against large-scale wounds like this, and especially if we run into Insurrectionists."

"Is there any place near here that we can go for some sort of medical care?" Tex asked Dawn.

"There are a few smaller towns nearby," Dawn mused aloud, "but our best bet is to get to one of the Operator cities. We have two options for that."

"The best place to get medical treatment on this side of the planet is at New Kyoto, the city that I operate. Unfortunately, we don't have any vehicles, so we have to travel on foot. From the swamps, the trip should be about three days if we don't stop."

"He won't make it until then!" North protested. "What's the other option?"

"The nearest place where we can at least get some temporary treatment for York is in New Taipei, which is Red Stallion's city," Dawn explained further. "To get there by the most direct route, the trip would only take a day and a half if we don't stop."

"That seems like the logical choice with that," Tex agreed.

"_What's the catch?_" Theta asked, and Dawn gave him a wry smile in return.

"We'd have to go through Insurrectionist territory to get there. The risk is much higher, but we'd have a better chance to grab some supplies and a vehicle, maybe some weapons, that would speed up our journey."

"If it helps save York and his leg, I'd be willing to take on any Insurrectionist that gets in our way," North responded vehemently.

"Count me in," Tex added in her support. York gave a weak nod.

"Julius, rally the troops," Dawn ordered her second in command, helping York to his feet. "We're heading northeast. Let's go take out some Innies."

* * *

_I have to say, it was quite funny to read your guys' reactions to the last chapter's little "surprise." I have more like that in the future. Much is not what it seems in here._

_Until next time,_

_anna1795_


	26. Chapter 22

****_I feel accomplished today with my fanfictions. Rolling out two more chapters of Freelancer Prank Wars and another of Retribution. Things are definitely looking up right now._

_I'll be working on Chapters 23 and 24, which will be interrupted with another flashback. Are you guys finding those flashbacks helpful? They'll explain the story some more, especially when we get closer to the end. In the mean time, read on._

* * *

**Chapter 22**

Finding their way out of the rank swamp was hard, dull work. North gave a grumble as he hoisted his sniper rifle further up in his arms, always ready to fire on a moment's notice. He and the other IAOC soldiers trudged through the leaf-littered still water of the swamp, while the sour air around them alternated between stifling hot or frigid breezes. How did anyone live in an environment like this? Was the rest of the planet so backwards ecologically?

After about three hours of tedious stumbling at jumping at every threatening sound, North gave a sigh of relief as they exited out onto the edge of an expansive plain, green wild grass spreading for as far as the eye could see. A glimmering sun illuminated every shadow and every wildflower cropping up across the endless plain. The soldiers began cheering at the sight of the plain, and North let out a sigh of relief at the sight of the endless expanse of emerald green grass. The very fringes of the prairie, reaching up to his middle, tickled him pleasantly as it caught in one of the unpredictable breezes.

Suddenly, a force of air that he might have expected from a landing Falcon started pulling the grass this way and that, and everyone looked up. A large _something _started dropping out of the sky towards them, talons extended and ready to tear into flesh. The soldiers retreated back into the shelter of the swamp trees, and North jumped back as a large bird landed on the ground where he had just been standing. At least ten feet tall, with feathers of creamy white and splashes of blood red, the bird clacked its ragged beak at the smaller humans that had intruded on its territory so brazenly. North was transfixed by the obsidian-black claws that the enormous bird sported on its feathered feet, then remembered that he carried a weapon with him. Slowly, North brought the rifle up and prepared to fire.

"Hold on," somebody close to him whispered, and a hand pushed the barrel of the rifle away from the bird's sights. Dawn was staring at the bird's golden-amber eyes evenly, not breaking contact. "North, start whistling something. A birdsong, just a little tune, something."

"Why?" he hissed back, confused.

"This bird's just not happy that we intruded on its territory," Dawn whispered back, still not breaking eye contact with the menacing giant in front of them. "He's asking for something before we can get across this stretch of the plain. They like music, so do something."

"Why can't we just kill it?" North grumbled, and Dawn punched him in the shoulder.

"You'll get why I don't want this bird killed AFTER you sing to it. Now, whistle." With a shove, Dawn forced North out of the shelter of the trees, where he stood frozen in the light of the sun. The angry eagle-like bird turned to the purple-armored Freelancer, taking a threatening step towards the startled man. North looked back desperately at Dawn, who waved her hands in a "go on" fashion. Tex and York had joined her, and Tex stared at him evenly. The message conveyed between the two of them was simple: "Do this for York."

Taking a breath and a swallow, North edged closer to the bird and licked his dry lips. The bird gave a hiss at the approach of the stranger, but North was steeling himself for the leap of faith. He pursed his lips together and started giving the low whistle of a whooper-will. The fluffed out feathers of the giant eagle immediately started to flatten as the bird was mesmerized by North's whistling. He shifted to a robin's morning song, and it withdrew its talons, leaving deep grooves in the wild grass. With a great gust of air, the bird soared away into the sky again, intent on leaving the humans alone. It was a sign that they had been given permission by the territory's patriarch to cross on their way to New Taipei.

"North, that was brilliant!" Dawn cheered as she ran up to him and clapped him on the back. The IAOC soldiers were cheering at North's display with the bird.

"Why'd you shove me out there?" he demanded indignantly, and Dawn simply shrugged.

"I can't whistle worth two cents, but you knew what to do," she admitted. "Besides, we have free passage through that _byakra_'s territory now. Look," she pointed into the grass, where a long cream feather with a blood red tip lay intertwined with the grass. She picked it up, examined it, and handed it to North. He stared at the feather, confused.

"What do I do with this?" he asked, unsure.

"Just keep it with you for now," Dawn said. "It is kind of pretty."

"_It certainly is interesting,_" Theta remarked, appearing to "feel" the feather with his miniscule hands. The feather was at least twice as long as Theta was tall, if not longer. It might be something to amuse Theta for later, North thought, so he stored the feather along his waist.

"Is there anything out here that we can use to speed up our way to get help for York?" Texas asked.

A soldier with two blue stripes on his arm came up and saluted to Tex respectfully. "Ma'am, there are herds of wild horses in these parts. They're pretty skittish, but we might have a chance of catching one."

"Will it just come to us if we ask nicely?" Tex asked.

"No."

"Damn. We can't waste energy going and trying to catch a ghost," Tex muttered. Even through her armor, she could feel the heat of York's developing fever. "Delta, how's York holding up?"

The green AI blinked online, but his green glow had faded slightly. "_York's core temperature has increased by 1.2 degrees Fahrenheit in the course of the past 3 hours. He is fading in and out of consciousness._"

"Is there any way that you can give him some of those general meds that we have stored in our armor?" North asked Delta as they continued to walk through the grass. The AI flickered for a moment.

"_I have been administering the standard medications to York in measured doses. The amount available, however, is less than the routine amount stored in typical Freelancer armor due to the inclusion of the healing unit,_" Delta admitted.

"Don't worry about me," York whispered, barely heard through his helmet. "Just…need a minute to rest." He was out again before the sentence was finished.

"If we want to get York up and on both feet again, we have to keep moving," Dawn pressured the other two Freelancers. "We should be able to get across the plains by the middle of the night, but we can't stop. It's not safe."

"What's out here that could be so dangerous?" North asked. "Besides that bird?"

Dawn said nothing for a moment. "Let's say that the Insurrectionists are some of the least of our worries out here at night," was the simple answer.

* * *

In comparison to going through the swamp, the plain was an easy walk in the park. The grass parted for all the soldiers making their journey. All eyes faced in different directions to watch for enemies, as the group was quite exposed in the tall grass with no trees visible for miles. The sun began to set, and a myriad of stars created a trail for them to follow across the night sky. Pretty soon, the full moon rose to illuminate a line of limestone cliffs along the edge of the prairie, thin monoliths stretching up to touch the moon like a maw of teeth determined to snuff out its blessed light. Different animal calls sounded out, and the wind continued to howl with the dropping temperature.

Texas gave a huff and set York down gently into the grass. "I can't keep carrying him," she gasped finally after about eight hours with no breaks. They all stopped for a moment, though several weapons were pointed in every direction. Julius ran up to take a look at York.

"His medicine reserves are pretty much spent," the medic reported finally after poking and prodding at the prone Freelancer. Texas detached a section of her armor and handed it to Julius, who hesitated.

"Do you honestly think that I'm going to get hurt?" she deadpanned, and the medic detached York's spent unit in exchange for Tex's unused medications.

"Is that more satisfactory, Delta?" Julius asked York's AI. The green hologram appeared, slightly stronger.

"_Indeed. I now have more medications to be able to confront the infection, though he still needs proper treatment._"

"Can we at least take a break?" someone spoke from the darkness, an unknown soldier.

"We don't stop here," Dawn retorted, addressing the rest of the group. She was tying a band of twine to a long sapling that she had apparently just cut. "You know the dangers of what's out here in the open at night. And _byaknuts _are the least of our worries." The soldiers all clammed up.

"What are those?" North asked quietly.

"That eagle thing you whistled to earlier?" Dawn replied. "It has a cousin of the night."

"Black Phoenix!" A female soldier with yellow stripes ran up. "You might want to come and look at this." She pointed to a spot a few feet away. Dawn and North went to investigate what the soldier had found.

At first, North wasn't very sure what they were looking at. It appeared to be some bundle of something with black pieces of cloth and metal sticking out, yet it was covered in an organic substance. It took a moment for him to realize that he was looking at the remains of a human, very recently killed.

"Good God!" he gasped as he leaned down to look at the body of the mauled soldier on the ground. "This looks like a pilot from one of the Sabres that look off from the _Nagasaki_," he told Dawn, and she bent down to examine it as well.

"Claw marks," she murmured, running three gloved fingers along the body's snapped spine. She stood up suddenly, sniffing the air.

"There's blood on the wind," she said a little bit louder.

"_North, I'm picking up movement on your motion sensor!_" Theta said, alarmed.

"Regroup!" Dawn shouted, and they ran back to the soldiers that had clumped together around North and Julius, who was trying his best to apply some new bandages. "Damn. York's infection must have caught it's attention."

"What?" North asked. "A _byaknut_?"

"No," Dawn gasped. "Get your rifle ready."

The grass rustled ominously, though no wind was there to carry the plant against its neighbors and create some noise. A sharp, pungent odor filled the air, carrying an animal scent that couldn't begin to cover the coppery smell of fresh blood.

That's when the screaming started.

* * *

"Blessed Victory, may I enter?"

The Forerunner looked up from where he sat at a desk in his personal office. The head of one of his older brothers, Blade of Striking Lightning, poked through the doorway to his rooms, curious golden eyes sparkling in the weak light. With a shrug, Blessed Victory admitted his elder brother. The older Forerunner brushed back a strand of shadow black hair as he entered in a white robe and carrying a platter with two cups and a jug.

"I figured you might want some refreshments," Blade offered, pouring a thick green liquid into each of the white porcelain cups and offering one to his younger sibling. "The Prophet of Benevolence says that this drink is rare and only served to the most important of their culture."

"We just had dinner," Victory pointed out, putting down his pen and leaning back in his chair. "And you know that I won't touch alcohol."

"It's not alcoholic!" Blade whined, very unbecoming for his age and status. "Come on, just try it! It's really good, very sweet."

"It's not blood from another creature, is it?" Blessed Victory accused, and Blade held a hand dramatically to his heart.

"You wound me, little brother," the Forerunner gasped. "Thinking that I would violate the Mantle for our own benefit."

Blessed Victory grumbled. Out of his brothers and Father, he and Blade were the only ones to not partake in breaking the Mantle and feasting on the flesh of the unfortunate. Sighing, he held out his hand and took the cup from his gold-eyed brother, whose whining voice would have pestered him for hours if he had not partaken in the refreshment. Cautiously, Blessed Victory took a sniff of the slimy, fluorescent blue liquid in the cup and took a gulp. It slid down his throat like some alien slug, causing him to shiver at the texture.

"Very…unusual," he gulped, and Blade jumped up and down like an excited child.

"Excellent!" the elder brother exclaimed, nearly losing grip on his own glass. "I just came to deliver that to you. I will leave you to your reports now."

Giving a grunt of acknowledgement, Blessed Victory turned away from his brother and back to the numerous reports that he had to complete. With a hiss, the door to Victory's chambers closed behind the retreating Blade of Striking Lightning.

The first symptom that something was wrong was when Blessed Victory's eyelids began to feel very heavy, and he had a hard time keeping focus on the numerous words in front of him. He read the same sentence at least ten times before realizing that he needed to move on to the next one. Then, his hands became very shaky and tingly, and he could no longer hold his pen as it clattered to the desk. He tried to stand, but found that he nearly collapsed on the floor in his fatigue.

_Forerunners are not meant to get tired,_ the young male thought in panic as he tried to steer himself towards the rarely used cushions in his bedchamber. Victory had almost made it when his legs finally gave out, and he reached feebly for the cushions before collapsing to the floor.

Blessed Victory's last thought before slipping into a drugged slumber was that he should have remembered where his brother's loyalty lay and that Blade of Striking Lightning was an accomplished poisoner.

* * *

_Dum dum DUM!_

_And a cliffhanger. Don't you just love those?_

_I know that I've been getting some questions about the team that will be put together for the trip with Admiral Tyette. I have it already planned out, and they will not be OCs. You should recognize them from...somewhere._

_Anyways, I'll post the next chapter very soon._

_'Til all are one,_

_anna1795_


	27. Chapter 23

****_New chapter up and away!_

_Note: This is not a happy chapter. There is some language in here, and lots of blood and death later on. Just to let you guys know. Things are getting serious now on Terra Beta._

_I guess this was partially inspired by what happened today in Connecticut at Sandy Hook. I know it doesn't do the tragedy justice, but this was the best way that I could express me feelings towards what happened. Here we go._

* * *

**Chapter 23**

North hurled himself backwards as a set of seven heavy claws aimed at his head in the darkness. He tumbled away from the gigantic furred monster in front of him, what seemed to be a gigantic cross between a sloth and a mole.

Unfortunately, it lacked the sedate nature of either creature, which was evident with its glowing red eyes, snapping jaws, and angry foam on the edges of its mouth. The creature gave a decisive crunch, and the bones of another unfortunate soldier snapped between its teeth. The bleeding, splintered carcass fell from the enraged creature's mouth and lay in a crumpled heap along with three of its fellows.

"Get those torches lit!" Dawn shouted to the other panicking soldiers, working on distracting the angry _jupti_ in their path. However, even she was having a hard time avoiding those heavy claws and the whip-like tail of the twelve-foot creature, which sprung at her again and again. North readied a pistol and fired it into the _jupti_'s shoulder, and the creature snapped its head back to him and charged.

_Just as long as it stays away from York and Tex_, North thought desperately as he dodged left and right to keep the alien creature's interest. Something whizzed through the air, and the _jupti_ howled and clawed at its neck. What looked to be a rod with a feathered fletch at its end stuck out from between folds of the _jupti_'s oily black fur. Dawn readied another arrow into her recently constructed bow.

"_Dodge!_" Chi screamed, and Dawn somersaulted out of the way of the _jupti_, which pounced on where she had just been. "_Be more careful_," the AI begged.

"Only so much I can do there, Chi," Dawn gasped as she took a hit to the chest from the _jupti_, forming a trench from where she was pounded into the earth.

"Dawn!" North shouted after her. "Don't just stand there!" he called to the soldiers hastily constructing torches and trying to light the dark green grass. However, the darkness around them was not doing them any favors.

"I'm alright!" Dawn's voice sounded from a good thirty feet away, and she sprung to her feet. Slipping the bow over one shoulder and readjusting the quiver of arrows strapped to her thigh, Dawn drew her sword at the charging _jupti_ and gave a mighty slash as it passed, like jousters at a tournament. The enormous black creature stumbled and clawed at the glistening red wound to its shoulder. North took the opportunity to fire a round from his sniper rifle and hit the _jupti_ in the back of the head. The alien toppled to the ground, unmoving.

"Nice shot," Dawn remarked as she sheathed her bloody blade into its scabbard on her back.

"You're not too bad yourself," North remarked, noting the archaic bow and arrow on her back. "I have to ask, though, why that when you can have a more conventional firearm?"

"Honestly, bows are more silent and they feel better in my hands," Dawn responded, eyeing the _jupti_ as it grumbled and tried to get to its feet. "It's just a preference thing, like you prefer your sniper rifle. Incoming!" she shouted suddenly, and they both shot backwards as the _jupti_ charged again.

"Hurry up with those torches!" Texas shouted from where she was guarding an unconscious York. There came a shout that the bundles of grass were ready. "Light 'm up!"

Twelve bundles of long prairie grass burst into flame in a semi circle around York, Texas, and Julius, and the _jupti_ growled in annoyance at the harsh light from the flame. As a purely nocturnal hunter, _jupti_ were sensitive to sudden flashes of light. However, instead of backing away from its enemy, the _jupti_ charged at a group of soldiers around such a blazing bundle. It smacked one soldier and sent her flying across the ground in a spin, snapping her neck along the way. Another soldier was caught in the massive jaws and instantly crushed.

"Not anymore, you brute!" Dawn shouted, launching herself onto the _jupti_'s back and holding on for dear life as the animal started bucking to dislodge the nuisance. "North, shoot the thing!"

He needed no further instruction. Steadying his rifle, North fired off a round into the _jupti_'s eye. Not satisfied as the black alien slowed, he fired another two rounds into the side of its head and another two into its side, puncturing its massive lungs. With a sickening gurgle, the _jupti_ keeled forward and collapsed against the earth, no longer moving.

With a gasp, North walked over to see Dawn pulling out a knife and cutting a section of fur from the creature. "I didn't know that animals like this existed on colonized worlds," he remarked gravely. Dawn didn't say anything for a minute, concentrating on skinning part of the enormous _jupti_ and folding the still bloody fur from where she cut. Rancid orange flesh was revealed from where the skin was removed.

"None of us knew what we were getting into when we landed on Terra Beta," Dawn finally admitted. "Mother wasn't even sure if we should have come here at first. We lost about five percent of the original 2000 refugees in the first year from animal attacks like this. We finally developed some methods of protection by observing the planet's ecosystem and benefitting from it. We learned about how to deal with creatures like the _byakra_ and the _byaknut_ peacefully. Then, there are ones like the _jupti_ who, once they develop a taste for human flesh, go rampant and can only be killed."

"Why are you skinning it, then?" North asked. "After it killed five soldiers, I'd think you wouldn't want to deal with something like this."

"_Jupti_ blood contains a high amount of iodine," Dawn pointed out as she finished her work and grabbed the bundle of pelt in her arms. "The iodine is roughly the same concentration used commercially as a disinfectant, so we use it on expeditions to help slow down infections and heal wounds."

"So, you're hoping that it'll help York?"

"At least partially. Here, Julius," Dawn tore off a strip of the oily black pelt from the bundle and tossed it to the medic, who removed some of York's armor to wrap the bloody skin around York's leg wound. York gave a hiss at the application of the iodine-rich blood, then relaxed as it worked on eliminating some of the infectious material in his wound. "Luckily, we also found that _jupti_ blood isn't nearly as infectious as human blood, so we won't have to worry about blood-transmitted pathogens. How're York's vitals now, Delta?"

"_Though York's fever is still prevalent in his system,_" the AI reported, "_the infected area of York's leg has decreased in temperature slightly._"

"A lesson in fold medicine is all well and good," Texas said as she came up, removing her helmet to wipe sweat from her brow, "but can we keep moving before something like that attacks again?"

"Good idea," Dawn conceded. "Regroup!" she called to the soldiers, and they started off on their quick march again, with North and Dawn heading the group by a good few feet.

* * *

"Hey, Dawn?" North asked after a little bit of silence. She gave acknowledgement that she had heard his query. "I have to ask you something…it's about what White Griffin said back on the _Nagasaki_."

The aura around Dawn dropped a few degrees. "What about it has you worried?" she asked slowly and cautiously. North began to wonder if this was such a good idea.

"She mentioned your sisters and how many relatives you have."

Dawn thought for just a moment. "I don't try to control my sisters' actions, even though I am head of our family technically," she said after a pause. "I will let them do what they believe is good and true to their hearts. However, there are some that…might disagree with my attitude towards their promiscuity."

"Who would have anything to say to that?" North was curious. "I mean, we're in the 26th century."

"I'm not arguing with you on that one," she replied. "There are some families, though, like White Griffin's and Yellow Jacket's, that aren't so forgiving. I've gotten numerous messages from them about 'reigning my sisters in' and 'eliminating impure blood from our family lineage.'"

"That's just awful."

"My nieces and nephews are the products of honest mistakes, I will admit," Dawn spoke somberly. "However, like I say to those families that disapprove, I refuse to deny my sisters the freedom that they almost never had under Kao Jin's rule. Things were much worse then, to put it midly. And as long as they learned from their mistakes," Dawn had a smile in her voice," then they were valuable mistakes that will be loved and cherished."

"Even though Chickadee suffered from it," North murmured

"Nobody could have known what would happen with Chickadee's murder," Dawn whispered. "That won't change my stance on my sisters, though. They are happy, and I'm happy for them."

"I have one more question, then," North started. There came a very pregnant pause, and the implication hung heavy in the air.

"Yeah, I'm not a virgin," Dawn admitted morosely. "I was taken advantage of by someone who I thought truly loved me as much as I loved him. It's in the past now, though."

"I just bring it up-"

"Because you want to know who did it and kill the bastard?" Dawn gave a short, humorless laugh. "No chance in that, North."

"I BRING IT UP," he reiterated with force, "because I want to check and make sure that you're over it and you can invest as much into our relationship."

Dawn walked in silence for a good thirty seconds, thinking. "Yeah, I've gotten over it," she admitted. "For a while, I was determined to hold a grudge and that hate for the jerk who first took my heart, but I learned that I didn't need to be bitter forever. I can find love again, and nothing is going to break my spirit down again."

The sun was beginning to rise as they crested one of the higher hills interspaced between the limestone cliffs. The glorious star was bright, healthy, and red in the moist morning air. "We're only a half-day's march from New Taipei!" Julius called up, and there came a collective cheer from the soldiers.

"Finally, we're almost home," some of the soldiers with red stripes on their arms remarked, and a few embraced in their excitement.

"Hold on!" someone with one green stripe (a scout) held up a hand, sniffing the air intently.

"What is it?" Dawn asked as she turned to the scout near the front of the group.

"It should be the harvest time," the scout started in a young male voice, "but I don't smell any fresh cut plants or hear any people in the nearby fields. We're near my home village, and everyone should be up and making a ruckus by now with the harvesting."

"What else is there?" North asked as the scout sniffed again.

"Smoke, and…" one more sniff. "…blood." The scout took off running towards the direction of the smell, ignoring the calls of the other soldiers. Exasperated, they took off running after him, running towards what looked to be a small residential area.

* * *

The helmeted scout stood frozen in shock at the sight that met them regarding the fate of the village. Not one of the huts or stone buildings lay without damage, and fire still licked at many of the thatched roofs. Part of the prosperous fields lay burning from the fire that had set the town ablaze. Bodies lined the dirt streets of the ruined prairie town, all of its inhabitants slain without discrimination of gender or age.

Immediately, they began searching for an sort of survivor of the pillaged place. "Who could possibly have done this?" a few people murmured in a daze as they peaked into burnt-out cabins and stone residences.

North knelt on the ground, examining a set of tracks in the dirt. They were very obviously made by both a Mongoose and a Warthog, and he was quite sure that none of the IAOC currently had those vehicles. "It was the Insurrectionists!" he called out, and soldiers crowded around the tracks that he had found. "They came in here and torched the place."

"But, to attack a town of innocent people," an older female soldier gasped. "We all remember the atrocities of the Revolution, but never would I have figured that they'd stoop so low as to blatantly massacre innocent civilians like this!"

"It's the only thing that they know!" a younger soldier shouted, and several of her fellows agreed. "That's all that the Innies have done to us, is do everything to hurt us and make us suffer like this, just to prove a point."

"_I may be bloodthirsty_," Omega appeared by Tex's elbow as she examined the bloodied corpse of a young mother protecting her baby from their inevitable demise. "_But even I would not bring myself to this, to attacking the innocent_."

"I know, Omega," Texas whispered as she closed the clouded, distant eyes of the two deceased with as much gentleness as she could muster in her shock and grief. "I know."

York, in one of his more lucid moments, had taken off his helmet as he leaned on a pile of straw that had miraculously survived the fire. He tiredly saw all the bodies around him, reflecting on how he had developed some strange immunity to the carnage that surrounded him.

"_York, you seem upset,_" Delta said hesitantly as he watched his host.

"It's sad, D," York muttered, seeing the positions that many of the villagers had taken, and he surmised that they had at least tried to defend themselves before being ruthlessly slaughtered.

"_The destruction?_" the AI asked. "_The horrible actions committed by humans against their own kind?_"

"No, not that," York murmured sadly, watching part of a young boy's ashen skin blow away in a gentle breeze. "I just can't feel as much sadness or something like that as I used to. That's what's sad."

"_I see_," Delta responded, confused. "_Do you believe that it is some unnatural human reaction in the brain that is preventing you from feeling a strong emotion towards the death of others by the hands of the same people?_"

"No, I don't think I'm a sociopath," York responded as ash blew away into the vast expanse of the prairie behind them. "I think that, after hearing for years and years about things like this happening on other planets with the Covenant, and all the fighting, and all the death…I think that I'm just too tired of war to think that anything is really going to change."

"_Is that another part of being human?_" Delta asked curiously, trying to adjust his logic to the situation.

"I think it just might be," York responded, feeling tired again and leaning against a brick wall to rest his unarmored head.

"_North_," Theta asked, sitting on North's shoulder cross-legged.

"I can't explain why people do these things right now, Theta," North cut across his AI's words, but the little purple Spartan persisted.

"_Not that,_" he insisted. "_Look._" He pointed to where Dawn sat on her knees, completely frozen. She was bent over and using her hands to support her upper body. North walked over to where she was sitting, and paused as small gasps and sobs reached his ears. Tears of anger and anguish tracked freely down Dawn's face and darkened the light gray ash under her gloved fingers. Chi sat in a human form on the ground as well, static-laced with an emotion not completely integrated into her programming. Even as an AI fragment, they could feel similarly to how their human hosts did. Chi was cross legged, fingering the ash under her sadly.

"_Why?_" was all the AI could ask in her grief, watching as the electromagnetic force from her hologram carried some particles of the grey substance away into the air. "_Why is there this much…this much death and destruction?_"

North gently put a hand in between Dawn's shoulder blades and gave her a gentle embrace, and she pushed herself into his arms for comfort. Though not exactly screaming her heart out, the force of the emotional breakdown still could be felt throughout the entire group. North held her close, gentle yet firm, conveying that he was there and alive and healthy, even though they were surrounded by death.

Dawn didn't deserve this, North thought as the dark-haired woman buried her face into his shoulder. All that she had done was for the good of her people, so that they could live happy and free. To see that all of her work was put to shame by the acts of the terrorist Innies so quickly, after years of work…

A boot could be heard snapping some of the wood from a wrecked structure nearby, and they all jumped. Those that had weapons drew them and pointed them in the direction of the noise, worried that the Insurrectionists had returned to make sure they finished the job.

A lone soldier in MJOLNIR armor stepped out of the gloom and haze of the smoke in the air. Armor of light gray that had faded almost to white from age and the numerous scratches along its entire body glinted like a ghost in the red sunlight cast from the smoke-laced air. A golden visor stared at all of them, while five fresh red stripes adorned the soldier's right shoulder. All the Red Stallion soldiers dropped to their knees in submission to the newly arrived soldier's rank among them.

"Renee," Dawn greeted shakily, nodding to the grayish-white Spartan. The golden visor dipped in acknowledgement.

"You just found this?" a voice asked through the helmet, rough and female, laced with age that did not match her tallness and muscularity. "We're in some rough times, Phoenix. It's good to have you back."

"I just wish it was on better terms," Dawn sighed, looking into the wreckage and the disheartened soldiers of her home in the ruins of a hometown.

"Well, we can use all the help that we can get," Renee answered, staring at the three Freelancers in their own MJOLNIR armor, newer and more advanced than her own yet lacking the wisdom accumulated from years of battle and hardship in hostile environments. "We'll get back at those Innies for this. I swear it," the woman continued with bloodthirstiness in her voice.

"I swear that I'll get back at them for this," Dawn gritted her teeth and clenched her fist as fury roared through her veins. "And when I see Kao Jin, I'll make sure that he suffers for every single life that he's ruined ever. I won't hesitate this time," she vowed.

"I'll kill that bastard and end this war if it's the last thing that I do."

* * *

_Yeah, terrible scene. I feel like a horrid person from writing about all that death, but I needed to give some motivation for what's going to happen later in the story. _

_Anyways, Renee is NOT an OC. She (or he, they never mention the gender, but I decided that she was a woman) is a Spartan that suffered from some of the augmentations conducted in the Spartan II experiment. Nobody knew what happened to her or Kirt from earlier, but I put her here. Deal with it, it'll work._

_Next chapter is another Flashback. Hooray!_

_'Till then,_

_anna1795_


	28. Flashback 4: Fight for Life

****_AND another chapter into the life of Courage/ Allison and her adventures on Earth. Let's see what's happening in Texas. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Year: 2517; Location: City of Dallas, Texas, United States of America, Earth**

_Allison rubbed her brow to wipe away the sweat as she bent over her desk, staring intently at the report before her eyes. The single room of her apartment was illuminated by one measly lamp in the corner that did little to help or hurt her advanced vision. It wasn't much in the way of utilities, but it suited her needs._

_Life in Galveston had been fine for the first few years that she had lived there, but the prospects of expanding her view of what humanity had to offer was extremely limited on the island. She had managed to move to the mainland with her friend Leonard and his little sister after Leonard had been accepted into a university in the much larger city of Dallas. She sold her home in the fixed-up apartment complex, brought a single apartment in the middle of the city, and made her way through a job as a bouncer at a local nightclub. She worked hard and got paid little, but it was a system that worked well in building a reputation for her in the run-down part of town where she lived. Nobody bothered the "out of sorts" Churches when Allison was a close friend. _

_However, as Allison reflected over the report that she was revising and editing for Leonard, there were several concerns in Dallas that had not been so in Galveston. The most prominent one was the recent string of kidnappings that had been happening throughout some of the larger cities and were targeting pre-teen and teenage girls. Rosie fit the bill perfectly as a target, and the youngest Church had to walk a few miles to get to and from the nearest school every day, with neither Leonard nor Allison to accompany her. _

_Allison's train of thought was interrupted by frantic knocking on her door, and shouts of "Allison!" coming through the rather flimsy wood. Setting down her pen, she stood up and opened the door to admit a panicking Leonard, who was looking around frantically for something that was not his essay. Allison caught him by the arms and held him still. _

"_Leonard," she said firmly, looking straight into the man's eyes. "Tell me what's wrong."_

"_Rosie!" he gasped, trying to pull himself together. "She hasn't called me yet, and school got out about 2 hours ago!"_

_Allison's heart sank. This was what she had been afraid of. "Leonard, you need to calm down-"_

"_How can you say I should be calm?!" the 18-year-old shouted in panic. "You haven't lost a little sister like this! You can't know how I feel-"_

_Allison slapped Leonard across the face, and he stopped babbling immediately, holding his smarting cheek. "Leonard, you need to calm down because panicking isn't going to tell us what happened to Rosie," she said angrily, gripping his arms harder more out of anger than insistence. "Give a call to the police, and see if there's anything that they can tell us."_

_Shakily, Leonard nodded and pulled out his cellphone to call the local police station. On a whim, Allison moved to the other side of the room and switched on the TV to the local news station. Bright neon letters flashed across the screen and immediately caught her eye:_

_**ATTEMPTED KIDNAPPING FOILED BY MYSTERIOUS HERO**_

_The news anchor was giving a report about how a wrecked van had been the vehicle used by the kidnappers confirmed to have been behind the string of disappearances across the state. An attempted kidnapping of a 16-year-old girl had been foiled, apparently by an unknown passerby wielding a knife. _

_Allison turned off the TV as Leonard finished his conversation with the police. "They've got Rosie down at the station," he responded with relief. "She was almost kidnapped today, but they've got her and just finished interrogating her. I can go pick her up now."_

"_I think that you should go alone," Allison suggested, "because she'll want her big brother right now. I'll drop off your report later."_

"_Thanks, Alli," Leonard called a hurried farewell as he ran out the door to get to his car. _

"_I guess I need to talk to someone," Allison said to herself, giving a shiver and lighting a green candle on the windowsill by her desk. She got back to reading the report, getting up periodically to blow out the candle and relight it three times. _

_It was a good few hours after she had finished the report, and the sun had long-since gone, when Allison called out, "I know you're there. Come on in."_

_With a silent flutter, a small figure in dark clothing landed neatly on the windowsill, careful not to knock over the flame. "I was wondering if this was the right place," the teenage girl at the window said, entering the apartment and letting her white hair loose. "How did you know it was me?"_

"_I'm your mother," Allison pointed out. "I know everything. Now, why are you here exactly?"_

"_I thought you knew everything."_

"_Don't get cheeky," Allison gently scolded Song of Rising Skies. "I know what you did today."_

"_If you're going to yell at me for going against the Mantle and harming another being, please don't. I get that enough from Fate," Song argued. "Besides, they were willing to harm one of their own. The way that I see it, they deserved it."_

"_I'm not arguing with you on that one," Allison assured her rebellious daughter. "You did me a favor, actually." In a more conversational tone, Allison asked, "How are you? I haven't seen you for a few years now."_

_Song relaxed for a moment. "I have been trying to do well. Uncle Fate has been teaching me how to fight the Flood."_

_Allison went rigid with shock. "He took you to combat Flood? Where?" she asked sharply. _

"_On Beta and Theta Halo. There was a small outbreak there that could be handled, and I came here to take a small break."_

"_Song of Rising Skies, how can you put yourself in danger in that manner?!" Allison nearly yelled at her daughter, who shrank back at her mother's explosive concern. "Don't you care if you live or die?" _

"_What does it matter?" Song snapped back, her white hair flaring slightly. "I was made to be a weapon against the Flood. I'm fulfilling my purpose, making myself useful."_

"_But not until I feel that you're absolutely ready!"_

"_Mother, if you haven't noticed, you have not been in my life the past four years," Song hissed so as not to disturb the other humans. Her anger was causing her long white hair to rise and fall in some unknown wind, twisting and unfurling subconsciously. "I have had to depend on Uncle Fate to teach me what I needed to know, and you haven't offered me any guidance for what I'm supposed to do!"_

"_Were we sure that the Flood would even return?" Now Allison was becoming enraged at her daughter's rebelliousness. Her blonde hair was rising in the same invisible wind, and the papers on her desk fluttered wildly. "How could you take such rash actions?"_

"_Courage through Eternal Night, you need to know something." It was very offensive for a child to address their Forerunner parent by their full name before they had reached their second mutation phase. "I am a weapon first, and your daughter second. I can't forsake the future of all life in the galaxy just so that I can maintain my familial duties. The Mantle MUST be upheld."_

"_You can't just throw your whole life away for a destiny that you're not even sure of!" Allison almost screamed, and she was glad that the other inhabitants of the apartment block were out on the town at this time of the night. Objects were flying across the room in the heat of the Forerunner females' fury towards each other. "You have a life to live, and I will not see you forsake it. You are more than a weapon!"_

"_ENOUGH!" An unseen force slammed into Allison unexpectedly, and she slammed into the desk behind her, smashing it and forcing her into the stone wall behind her. As the weak lamp flickered out from the shock, the only light in the room came from the glowing eyes of the Forerunners: Allison's intense green, and Song's vibrant silver. _

_The silver extinguished, and the light returned to the room. Song looked horrified at the destruction her rebellion had wrought. Furniture had tipped, her mother's desk was broken, and she had almost injured her mother in the heat of their argument. Ashamed, Song of Rising Skies leapt back to the windowsill. _

"_I can't be your daughter anymore, mother," Song addressed the shaking Allison, who sat hunched on the ground and stared at her daughter neutrally. "I have to think of life first, and the Mantle. If I give up myself by killing the new Gravemind, then so be it. Please, forget about me. Or accept me as the weapon I am." With one last tortured look, Song was gone, and Allison could only give short gasps of pain and sorrow._

* * *

**Year: 2518; Location: CLASSIFIED UNSC MILITARY LOCATION**

_Dr. Catherine Elizabeth Halsey hummed a little ditty to herself as she looked through her clipboard of new reports from her primary project. Everything seemed to be going according to her plan in terms of the new Spartan- II project. All the subjects had been carefully selected and integrated into the program without incident… minus the numerous attempts by a select few of the children to escape and express their rebelliousness. However, she couldn't complain. They were children, after all. She was meant to look in on the project after completing her reports for the day and making some changes to her journal about the interesting technology found on UNSC colonies. _

_However, as Dr. Halsey keyed in the entrance code to enter her private office, the hairs on the back of her neck tingled. She was not alone. Someone had snuck into her office. _

_The door shut behind her, and the automatic lights showed a person in black clothing leaning against one of the filing cabinets, rifling through her reports! This person, what appeared to be a 19-year-old girl with plaited blonde hair, was brazenly standing in the middle of her office as if she had a right to be there!_

"_Hey!" Dr. Halsey exclaimed, and the girl looked up with those intense green eyes of hers. "Who are you? How did you get in here?" Dr. Halsey hastily made for the large red button on the wall to sound the alarm for an intruder, but she found that she couldn't move. Some force was holding her tightly, and moved her arms to her sides like a gigantic hand was holding her in its grip. The girl with tan skin, blonde hair, and green eyes silently finished reading the last of the report and looked back up at the scientist. _

"_Dr. Halsey, I presume?" the girl asked in a smooth, unconcerned voice. _

"_Who are you?" the older woman was panicking, trying to break the grip holding her tight but with little success. _

"_Someone who can help you," the stranger answered, closing the folder and putting it back in its correct place in the file cabinet. "Let's just say that I'm somebody that has a lot of information that you want, and someone you don't want to cross."_

"_You do realize that-"_

"_I'm trespassing on classified military property and talking to a scientist that technically doesn't exist about projects and information that don't exist either?" The blonde smirked. "Tell me something I don't know."_

"_Why are you even here?" Dr. Halsey demanded as the invisible "hand" that was gripping her loosened slightly. _

"_I told you, I'm here to help you," the stranger answered impatiently. "And your security system stinks. You might want to have that checked. Anyways, I've been going over your reports and files on your little "pet" project…"_

"_We are treating those children with the utmost care that we can in their training-"_

"_I don't want to hear your excuses or explanations," the blonde-haired girl cut across Dr. Halsey sharply. "What's done is done. I have no qualms with what you've done. However, you should know some stuff about your proposed armor design."_

"_What about it?" Dr. Halsey asked warily. _

"_With the proposed augmentations that you want to have these kids undergo in order to be able to support these exoskeletons, your armor design will be about 300 pounds more than they can handle."_

"_We have taken necessary precautions with the chemicals that are going to be used in the augmentation process," Dr. Halsey said, rather lamely. _

"_Even with those chemicals and the training. That's where my calculations are coming from," the blonde snapped. _

"_Alright, let's say that your calculations ARE correct," Dr. Halsey replied skeptically. "What do you suggest I do to correct it?"_

"_Change the material of the armor. The design is nice, I'll give you that much," the blonde conceded, "but you don't need to use such a heavy and expensive metal to make it. This particular titanium alloy that I put into your notes should be light enough for your Spartans to use quickly and efficiently, while not weighing them down in battle."_

"_Alright, so my armor is slightly faulty," Catherine sniffed at this knowledgeable stranger. "Is there anything else that I should know about?"_

"_Yes. The chemicals you are using for your augmentations are the wrong combination," the girl responded. "With what you have now, you'll be lucky to have one tenth of your subjects survive the surgery."_

"_How do you figure that?"_

"_You forgot to carry the one."_

_Dr. Halsey paused. "It's the best combination that we can figure with the formulas we have available for the surgery," she pressed. _

"_I went over that too. I made the necessary revisions into the file on your desk. You'll find that it works out much better for what you're trying to accomplish."_

_The pressure around Dr. Halsey dissipated, and she stood up straight again. "I must ask you, though; you seem so young. How do you know all of these things, and why are you helping?"_

"_How I know them doesn't matter, and I'm helping you because I think that what you're trying to accomplish, overall, is very noble. Twisted in its means, but noble in the end," the girl answered sagely._

"_Are you with the Insurrection?"_

_The blonde's tan face twisted into a snarl. "Don't associate me with those low-lives," she growled in response. "I work for the benefit of humanity, not for some measly rebel group who can't tell a bullet from a trigger."_

"_Well, thank you for your…insight," Dr. Halsey managed to spit out, though she was still bewildered with this plethora of new information. "Is there a name that I can call you, should you call on me again?"_

"_Hopefully, I won't have to," the blonde responded. "But you may call me Allison."_

"_I won't tell anyone about this meeting that we had, should they ask where I got the information," Halsey assured Allison. "What would you want in return?"_

"_For now, my motives are altruistic," Allison responded, making for the door. "Let's hope that I won't have to call in that favor."Allison paused before she left. "Those kids have potential. You recognize that, don't you?"_

"_I have a few…favorites," Dr. Halsey admitted after a moment. "I really shouldn't, but some of those children have grown near and dear to my heart with how they've adapted."_

"_It's nothing to be ashamed of," Allison offered, ready to leave. "Keep those feelings close to you, because you never know when those kids will leave you. Take care, Dr. Halsey." _

_The girl called Allison left without a word, and Dr. Halsey collapsed into her chair, putting her face in her hands. For a moment, she was convinced that the blonde, tan-skinned girl was an apparition, a mirage that had come up because she was tired and stressed. Still, she couldn't bring herself to accept the fact that it HAD been an illusion giving her advice on how to proceed with her project, especially when she looked to the three electronic pads on her desk that certainly hadn't been there when she left the night before. Also, there was a book tucked inconspicuously in the right-hand corner of her desk; an honest to goodness, leather-bound book, much like the ones Dr. Halsey still wrote in and for which she nursed a soft spot. She picked up the book that had no title and examined the first few pages. Numerous symbol decryptions and diagrams shone in multi-colored ink through the pages, written in a neat hand and showing wisdom into some unknown human exploration. Those symbols were much like the ones…on the alien artifacts recovered from the colonies. _

_Curious as to Allison's insight, Dr. Halsey began perusing through the electronic files that had been left for her, and left the leather book for sometime later…maybe some nighttime reading, to nurse her imagination and allow her to think properly._

* * *

_Yes, Allison helped out with the SPARTAN project. I think it answered the question as to HOW Dr. Halsey gained so much knowledge about the Forerunners. I always wondered that._

_Anyways, read and review please. I'll get the next few chapters up soon. _

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	29. Chapter 24

_This chapter will be a lot less somber than the last one, and a bit more action packed. _

_Anyways, onto chapter 24._

* * *

**Chapter 24**

The trek across the last fringes of the prairie and into sparse woodland was made in a depressed silence, tinged with anger and grief. A good few of the IAOC soldiers had lost their loved ones in the village massacre, and the vengeful mood had carried to the rest of the troopers. Even North felt an irrepressible rage forming in his heart. He himself had seen the reports and the damage caused by the Insurrectionists in other parts of UNSC space. However, the most the Innies THERE did was displace civilians. It was mischievous destruction everywhere else, but the brutality that he had witnessed was savagery on an entirely new level. Theta was still having a hard time accepting the horrors that he had seen, and remained sequestered in the back of North's mind, huddled in on himself and rarely seeking North's comfort. It would take time and experience for Theta to get used to such horrors.

North's main worry, however, was how Dawn was taking the wanton destruction of that village they had passed. She had been silent ever since they left, her shoulders hunched and her manner almost on the verge of defeat. He couldn't say he blamed her for what happened, though. It was something that she had to tough out on her own, but he would be there to help her if she needed it.

Suddenly, their guide, Renee, halted while holding up a clenched fist. Everyone in the party stopped, surrounded by trees on all sides. Weapons were readied as they waited, listening. Renee pointed somewhere overhead, and Dawn readied her bow. She drew the string back and let an arrow fly into the canopy of the trees. With a gurgled scream, a dark body fell to the ground from the top of the trees, garbed in deep crimson and white and wearing an altered ODST helmet with an olive-green visor.

"We're not alone in here," Texas remarked as Renee went to examine the body and Dawn readied her bow in case of another Insurrectionist. Texas shifted York on her back so that the injured Freelancer was a little more secure. Ahead of them, the Spartan stood up, storing extra rifle bullets from the Insurrectionist in her belt.

"Let's keep movi-" Renee started, when a gunshot rang out. Blood spurted as a soldier three feet from North fell to the ground, the bullet puncturing his lungs. "SCATTER!" The Spartan revised her order, and they all made for the trees in separate directions. North made sure to stay close to Texas and York, and he fired off a shot into the tops of the trees whenever he saw a flash of unfamiliar armor. Insurrectionists were firing at them from the canopy of the woodland, ready to pick off as many soldiers as they could. However, for every IAOC soldier that they were managing to hit, two or three Innies fell under the vengeful gunfire of the Outer Colonists. The Freelancers all ducked into the cavity of a fallen tree, and both Texas and North began firing shots at whatever Insurrectionists they could see.

Dawn slid into the cavity with them, cursing as a bullet grazed her shoulder. "This is getting to dangerous," she muttered as she surveyed her surroundings. She tapped North's shoulder and pointed to a gap in the trees. "New Taipei is just through those trees there," she explained. "I want you to take York and make a run for it."

"What about you?" he asked, concerned, while he fired off another few shots into the trees.

"I'll cover you from behind and make sure that no one follows you," Dawn responded. "No, don't argue," she cut across North's protest. "I need to make sure that my soldiers make it through alright, but I also need to get you, York, and Texas to safety as soon as possible. Once you cross into the city's boundaries, you'll be safe."

"I-" North started, but he had to admit that she was right. Dawn had two duties to fulfill: the protection of the Freelancers, and the safety of her soldiers. "I got it."

"Texas, you got that?" Dawn asked, and the black Freelancer nodded, hoisting York onto her back again. "On my mark, run to that gap in the trees and keep going. Synch?"

"Synch," they responded, tensing in preparation. Dawn fired off two more shots from her Magnum. With a pause in the bullet fire, she shouted, "Mark!"

"Synch!" Texas and North shouted, and they took off running through the leaf litter of the trees. A few stray bullets sprayed the ground at their feet, but the gunmen that had fired them fell under North's and Dawn's own gunfire.

The Freelancers exploded out of the trees and onto a flat plain once more, where a group of buildings surrounded an enormous metal structure, like a tower, that stretched up towards the sky. Agricultural fields sprawled behind the city and a flowered lake stood at the forest's edge, but they had no time to enjoy the scenic view. Texas kept running to get York to the medical attention that he needed, and North started coming up behind.

"_Chi!_" Theta called back to his sister AI, and North paused to look behind him. A few of the Insurrectionists had bravely blocked Dawn's path and were going for close combat with the warrior. Dawn had drawn her katana for the fight, but was being pushed back from the edge of the woods.

"Get going!" Dawn shouted to North when she saw that he wasn't running anymore. North was about ready to ignore her order when Theta tugged at North's mind.

"_North, we have to leave,_" Theta insisted, and North was about ready to resist. However, he had to recognize that he too had two conflicting duties: one to his lover, and the other to his AI. Right now, he needed to focus on getting out of Dawn's way and getting York to Red Stallion safely. Dawn could handle herself; the Freelancers were at a disadvantage. With one last tortured glance at his lover, North took off after Texas and York.

The Insurrectionists seemed determined not to let anyone make it to New Taipei in one piece. Bullets tore the foliage of the forest apart, and peppered the air and ground as Texas and North ran towards the tower along the shore of the lake. North ran in a way so that York could be protected from the mad gunfire raining down on them from behind. Bullets tore at their personal shields, diminishing them with each contact.

"Wait a minute," North stopped all of a sudden, and Tex stopped too.

"What the hell are you doing?" she snapped.

"You keep running," North said. "I'm gonna use my shield to buy you guys some time."

"Are you mad?!" Texas demanded. "There's no way that you can keep it up for long."

"Maybe not," North agreed. "But, it should be long enough for you to get to the city boundaries and to safety. I'll be right behind," he assured the other woman.

"If you're sure," Texas responded uncertainly, and she backed up as more bullets came down on them. She took off again with York on her back.

"Theta, you ready?" North asked the small purple AI, and Theta nodded anxiously. With a hiss, the domed energy shield formed around them in a protective, transparent casing. Bullets ricocheted off the shield with little flashes of light. "Theta, let's try and expand the shield so that we can shield Tex and York, too," he said. "Just in a straight panel in front of us. You think you can do that?"

"_I'll try,_" Theta responded, though he sounded unsure.

"Let's do it," North said confidently, and the shield morphed into a panel of hexagonal blocks of energy, connected together and expanding in front of him. The bullets further to his left and right continued to bounce off the rectangular shield, but it was taking a lot of energy from North's power reserves to keep the shield in its current shape.

"_I can't keep it up!_" Theta exclaimed in dismay, his hologram flickering.

"Don't give up, Theta," North hissed through gritted teeth as his armor started weighing down on him. "Just a little longer."

"_**North**_," a voice crackled through his com link. "_**We're in the city**_."

"Copy that, Tex," North responded to the radio call just in time. The shield disintegrated in a shower of energy shards, and Theta disappeared in a tired flash of light. "Theta!" North exclaimed tiredly, before no less than three bullets struck him in the upper body: two in the shoulder, and one in his chest. With a pained cry, North collapsed into the lake beside him, while gunfire sounded from somewhere behind him.

"_At least they're safe,_" was North's last thought as the water dragged him under and darkness consumed him.

* * *

Starlight of Blessed Victory woke suddenly with a startled gasp and almost collapsed face-first from his upright position. Something strained to hold his weight, but eventually kept him upright. He tiredly looked to either side of him. Bonds of hard light coiled up along the length of his arm in a snake-like manner, holding him fast to a metal wall.

"Imprisoned by my own family," he said aloud. "Of course."

"You expected this?" a voice sounded outside of the metal door of Victory's cell, and he saw his father's face in the small window, an eyebrow cocked disbelievingly.

"You know, I can honestly say that I expected something along these lines," Blessed Victory responded acidly to War for Ascendant Destiny's question. "I didn't think like you, and you wanted to get me out of your way so that I couldn't mess with what you had planned. How basic of you, _father_," he continued, spitting out the last word like it was an insult. A force reached through the metal door and grabbed Victory's throat, cutting off his words and slowly choking the younger Forerunner.

"There is nothing basic about what I do, you insolent brat," Ascendant Destiny snarled to his son, squeezing a little harder to emphasize his point. "I do this for the greatness of the Forerunners. Don't begin to understand the complexity of my actions." With a low growl, the force from Ascendant Destiny slammed his son's upper body into the wall behind him, stunning his son.

"You certainly learned SOMETHING from Grandfather," Victory taunted his father hoarsely, coughing slightly. "It is no wonder the Domain is lost to us, with what the finest examples of Forerunners have been reduced to."

"Do you wish to reclaim the Domain, Starlight of Blessed Victory?" War for Ascendant Destiny hissed. "Do you wish for me to kill you?"

"It would be a mercy to die and rejoin my ancestors," Blessed Victory argued, "and to free myself of your tyranny."

"You deserve no mercy for your dishonor of us," his father hissed. "You will remain here, where you will remain alive, and you WILL learn obedience."

"You will not make me," Blessed Victory retorted.

"Oh, but I will," Ascendant Destiny insisted. "One way or another, I will have you obey me." With that, War for Ascendant Destiny abandoned his son to his thoughts, leaving Starlight of Blessed Victory to pray to his ancestors for a quick, painless death and return to the safety of the domain, rather than to continue living in the presence of his father's madness.

* * *

_...That was a lot shorter than I anticipated._

___For reference: If you can imagine the scene in 'Mulan' where the Imperial Army is in the mountains and the Huns start attacking, you kind of get the idea of what I'm trying to do here._

_I'll post a longer chapter next time, and we get to meet Red Stallion and be introduced to the team from the UNSC that will be heading to Terra Beta. I'm also working on more flashbacks. Are those helpful for you guys? Let me know, please._

_Hope you guys like where this is going. If you have any questions, just leave it in a review, and I will answer it. I love hearing from you guys. Have a happy, safe holiday!_

_Bazinga,_

_anna1795_


	30. Chapter 25

****_Another chapter, yay! I hope you all are having a pleasant holiday season, and I'm glad that you all are still reading and writing during the break. I look forward to hearing what you have to say about this story. In the meantime, read on!_

* * *

**Chapter 25**

North was too tired to panic as water rushed into his armor and started weighing him down. He could barely feel the blood flowing from his chest where the bullets had punctured him. Theta was, surprisingly, absent from North's mind. He was probably trying to recuperate from the shock and damage that they had taken, or else he didn't want to face the fact that his carrier, Agent North Dakota, was drowning.

"_You will live to see another sunrise_."

North's eyes shot open as much as they could, blurred by the pain and tiredness. He could have sworn that he had heard something, slightly distorted by the water. Maybe it was an illusion, in the haze of his approaching death.

"_I am no illusion, warrior. You must remain awake._"

'_Is that the disembodied voice of God_?' North thought as he continued to drift in his watery prison. '_I was never particularly religious. I mean, sure, I thought that we were made by a higher power and put here for a reason. I wonder if it'll dock me points-_'

His train of murky thought was cut off by the very real voice inside his head, ringing in his ears.

"_I am no god, no immortal power. I am living, and do help preserve the living._"

'_If you can hear me,_' North thought tentatively to the thing that was communicating with him, '_can't I just die in peace? I'm so tired._'

"_Your time has not come, human,_" the thing replied, and something protective wrapped around North, pushing him towards the surface. "_You have a mission to complete. A life to fulfill. You have unfinished business._"

'_My friends,_' North thought vaguely, and faces flashed through his mind. '_York, Texas, my sister, Theta, Dawn-_'

Something sharp and piercing entered North's mind, and he took in a breath. He started choking on the water that rushed into his mouth, reminding him that he was very much alive.

"_Protect her,_" the disembodied voice insisted, and North's head broke the surface of the lake. Something, or numerous things, started pushing him towards the shore. "_Find me again, at the Caldera, when the moon is half._"

"When…what?" North started shivering, and his mind was confused. "What-who are you?"

"_Find me at the Caldera,_" the voice whispered, "_and you will know."_

Those last few words were ringing in North's ears as he passed out, half out of the water, waiting for someone or something to rescue him.

* * *

North sat up with a jolt, clutching at his chest where it gave a spasm of pain. He gasped at cool, clean air that surrounded him, and he opened his eyes tiredly.

"It's a good thing you woke up," an unfamiliar female voice spoke up. "We were beginning to worry about you."

North was able to finally get his bearings, and found himself in a sparse room with two or three hospital beds along the walls. He had been removed from his armor and changed into hospital scrubs, and he sat against a pile of soft pillows, covered in a plain fleece blanket. In a chair by his bed sat a woman with light-brown skin and long, curly blonde hair. She had intense green eyes that stared at him, tough yet gentle at the same time. She looked very much like her sister (sans darker skin and black hair).

"You're one of Dawn's sisters?" he asked groggily, putting a hand to his head as he tried to regain his senses. She pushed him back against the pillows.

"Yeah, I'm the Matron of New Taipei, head of Medical Affairs," the woman introduced herself. "I'm Tina."

"Nice to meet you," he greeted her in return. "Though I'd rather that it had been under better circumstances."

"Indeed," Tina agreed, smoothing out her long white robe and refastening the ornate glass button at her throat. "Oh, we met your two friends at the gate of the city."

North instantly became more alert. "York, is he-?" he started to ask, but Tina held up a hand.

"We had a medical team on hand to take him up to surgery. He's going to be alright. Your friend, Texas is fine as well."

"That's good to hear," North responded. A holographic pillar on his bedside table illuminated, and Theta formed in his usual fireworks display.

"_North!_" the AI exclaimed excitedly. "_You're okay!_"

"We had to remove him when we performed surgery on you," Tina explained as Theta leapt to land on North's shoulder and huddled close to his carrier. "He was getting rather hysterical. He managed to be brave, though, especially when he found out that you had all those pullets removed."

"Glad to hear it," North said, while Theta gave a happy hum.

There came a knock at the door, and Texas opened it from the outside so that York could limp in, his wounded leg completely bandaged and leaning on a cane.

"North, you're awake!" York exclaimed excitedly, and Tina offered him her seat so that he could sit by North. "Thank you, beautiful," he said in a flirtatious manner, leaning up to give her a kiss. She smacked him upside the head. York blushed in embarrassment, while Texas just shook her head sadly. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a herd of elephants stampeded across my chest," North answered truthfully. "How do you think, York?"

"You think yours is bad?" York challenged humorously. "My leg feels like they surgically implanted a cactus in it!"

"What exactly happened?" North directed his attention to Tex, who seemed to be the only sane one here. "How did I get here?"

"Some soldiers went out to scout the woods for any survivors, and they found you on the shore of the lake," she explained. "It looked like you dragged yourself out of the water in time so that you wouldn't drown, but you were about ready to bleed out."

"We would have helped," York explained, "but, you know. I was in surgery and Tex was trying to explain the situation to the higher ups here."

"Have you heard anything from Dawn?" North asked curiously, sitting up a little more. The other two hesitated. "Come on, spit it out," he insisted, prepared to hear the worst.

"The truth is, we don't know," York admitted apologetically. "We all got separated in the ambush. Some of the soldiers made it back, but not nearly as many as we went in with. We've had, I don't know," York thought for a moment, "ten come back. About six of them are still alive."

"Don't they have, like, recovery beacons in their armor?" North asked, almost getting frantic.

"It was not something that we had originally designed into the armor," a male voice sounded from the doorway. A muscular man in a temporary wheelchair pushed himself into the room, garbed in a wool robe dyed scarlet red and black, with a red fleece blanket covering his legs. Neatly cut brown hair framed a lined tan face that should have been young, had it not been for the stress marks around the man's haunted blue eyes. Tina took a step back and bowed her head in respect, while the three Freelancers struggled for some way to convey their respects. In the end, they each settled for a salute.

"At ease," the newcomer waved the salutes away with a scarred hand. "I suppose I need to introduce myself to you," he offered in a strong, yet raspy voice.

"You're Red Stallion, sir?" Texas asked respectfully. The man nodded.

"That's my formal name, but I allow my friends to call me Fhajad."

"I remember hearing that name," North said pensively, trying to think. "It was in a report from the Spartan-II project, with the names of the ones that made it through the augmentation-"

"The ones that died, and the ones that were less than perfect," Fhajad finished North's sentence with a slightly bitter tone in his voice. "Yes, I am THAT Fhajad."

"And when we met Renee earlier…" Texas concluded. "Oh my," she gasped.

"A few of my Spartan brothers and sisters, the ones LESS than perfect, relocated here," Fhajad explained. "We found that we could make ourselves useful with what we had, and we received no pity for our…conditions. And before you ask," he interjected before one of the Freelancers could speak again, "yes. I know Master Chief."

Nobody said anything for a while. Then, Fhajad spoke up. "Agent North Dakota, please tell me what happened after you, Agent York, and Agent Texas exited the woods."

"Yes, sir," North obliged. "We were running across the field by the lake, and the Insurrectionists kept firing at us from the tree line. I used my domed energy shield to buy some time for Texas and York to make it here so that York could get surgery for his leg, but I expanded my shield too much to keep it up for very long. I was shot in the chest and fell into the lake."

"With those sorts of injuries, it would not have taken you long to drown," Fhajad mused aloud. "How did you make it to shore?"

"I don't really know, sir," North shrugged apologetically. "I think…something living in there pushed me to the shore."

"I wasn't aware that something larger than a…well, never mind," Fhajad waved his thought away with a shaky hand, and he stared at it for a moment. Fhajad's entire body began to tremble slightly.

"Hey, are you alright?" North asked with concern, sitting up straighter. Fhajad groaned as his body continued to shake.

"I'll be…fine…JESUS!" He grunted in pain, trying to keep himself together. Tina rushed over and started pushing Fhajad away.

"This happens frequently," she explained to the three Freelancers, who were all concerned about the former Spartan's wellbeing. "It's a result of the…the augmentation process. It's why he's not a Spartan." Noticing the shaking getting worse, she rolled Fhajad out of the room to try and suppress the shaking.

"Now I get why there was such a controversy about the ones who didn't quite make it to Spartan level," York murmured, his eyes downcast. Delta and Omega joined Theta on his holographic pillar. "I don't know if I could handle losing control of my body at a moment's notice."

"_It might have been kinder for the ones who DID die during that experimentation,_" Omega growled, and everyone turned to look at him. "_Think about it,_" the AI said. "_Would you rather die, or suffer some unimaginable physical, emotional, and mental conditions that could never be quite fixed?_"

"Ask us something hard, why don't you?" Tex replied sarcastically, staring at the door where Fhajad had just exited. "But still, I get the point. I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"And to think that humanity's savior came at the cost of the lives of other Spartans," North murmured, unsure of where he was going with his train of thought. Theta gave an unidentifiable sound and disappeared.

"Is there any news about what happened to Dawn?" North asked suddenly. The other two shook their heads.

"Haven't heard anything," Texas muttered, staring out the window at the setting sun. Clouds were forming on the horizon, along a chain of mountains.

"She's a survivor," North conceded, leaning back on his pillows after a sudden flair of pain in his chest. "She's lived here forever, she knows this place inside and out."

"Yeah, but how about US?" York asked. "We're supposed to keep an eye on her for the Director, so that-"

"To hell with the Director!" Tex exclaimed angrily, and the other two whipped around to stare at her. Tex seemed surprised by her own outburst. "I…I mean that we need to keep Dawn's safety in mind first before worrying about what the Director wants," she finished hastily, but York shook his head.

"Do you get the same bad feeling that I do?" he asked the group in general. "That the Counselor, the Director, the Project, even our AIs, they're all a little…off?"

"_Agent York_," Delta spoke up, and they all turned to him. "_Normally, I would dissuade those sorts of notions as untrue statements or thoughts. However, we AI have been sharing the same misgivings about our Creator. If we must know more…_" The AI trailed off.

"Say it, D," York pressed his AI.

"_We must speak to the Alpha._"

* * *

It had been about two hours previous that Dawn had first sensed someone following her through the deeper part of the woods, and she could tell that they weren't IAOC because they had at least two Warthogs with them, plus a Mongoose.

The shell of a Scorpion tank exploding behind her had Dawn running full speed through the trees, leaping over branches and ducking under felled trunks, trying to lose her pursuers. Gunshots rang out behind her, and bullets shredded the bark off of the trees surrounding her. Not one had touched her yet, but Dawn's winning streak was running out. After two hours of non-stop running and dodging, she was beginning to tire.

"_Don't give up!_" Chi called to Dawn as she continued to run, the amber AI being as aware as possible to changes around them. "_The trees are thinning up ahead._"

"That'll just make it easier for them to find us," Dawn hissed as she slid down a small slope and kept going. "But, I'll take your word for it."

Another Scorpion shell exploded behind her, and the shock from the blast propelled her forward through the tree line. For the first time in hours, Dawn stopped running and knelt, catching her breath as she stared at the cliff that she had almost fallen over. Mist obscured what was at the bottom of the cliff, but she heard a source of running water. Most likely, it was the Yngok River. There was no place else to go on the cliff, besides where she had just come from. Across the river, another series of cliffs ran parallel to the horizon, with tall monoliths stretching up towards the sky like fingers.

"Chi, what are our options?" Dawn asked her AI as her pursuers came closer and closer.

"_We can stand and fight,_" the AI suggested. "_But there's little ammunition left. You'd be killed before we could take down very many of them._"

"What's the likelihood of survival if I jump into the river?" Dawn asked, leaning over the edge.

"_I'm not Delta_," Chi retorted. "_I can't even begin to calculate those statistics._"

"Well, it was worth suggesting," Dawn replied, drawing out her weapon of unknown origin, the core of the weapon glowing blue at her touch. She was getting too tired-

The cock of a sniper rifle's trigger had her whipping her head around in another direction. It was coming from across the river.

"_Don't shoot!_" Chi exclaimed suddenly. "_It's not the Insurrectionists. They're-_"

Chi never got the chance to finish her sentence as a bullet tore into Dawn's shoulder from behind and propelled her forward. With a hiss of pain, both Dawn and Chi went tumbling down into the gorge below, blood trailing through the air as they hit the water.

* * *

_Yeah...Maybe that chapter can be changed later on. For now, it's needed to piece things together. _

_Oh, I found my mistake: Farjhad IS Fhajad; I had to go back into The Fall of Reach to find the correct spelling. _

_Next chapter will focus more on Dawn and the mysterious sniper from the other side of the river, and after that is...ANOTHER FLASHBACK! YAY!_

_Hope you guys keep reading this, and please review when you get the chance. _

_Happy Holidays,_

_anna1795_


	31. Chapter 26

****_Finally! After a hiatus due to writer's block, sickness, and rewriting this chapter at least five times, I deliver another chapter to the continuing events on Terra Beta. I hope that you all are doing much better than I have in the past few days, and I hope you all enjoy a great new year!_

* * *

**Chapter 26**

Dawn very much hated the armor that the UNSC designed. It was bulky and provided protection from gunshots, sure, but protection from drowning? Not a chance.

Still, the swiftness of the river managed to keep her from sinking too far in, and the Yngok was littered with large boulders that had tumbled down the cliff face. As soon as she bumped into said boulder, she latched on like there was no tomorrow and sidled around to the other side.

"_The shore,_" Chi breathed, almost as if the AI had been close to drowning. "_Thank God._"

With a burst of strength, Dawn pushed herself off from the boulder and made her way into the shallows of the Yngok River, where she clambered onto its bank and collapsed.

"_The injury in your shoulder,_" Chi analyzed the wound with the HAYABUSA armor's diagnostic systems. "_The bullet punctured the skin and damaged some of the muscle. I would suggest an application of Biofoam, but we do not currently have any in our possession._"

"Well, staying here won't get me what I need," Dawn grunted as she pushed herself up. She took a good look around. "While I'm at it, I'd better see who the sniper was on this side of the river. You said that they weren't Innies?"

"_The signature from their armor was UNSC._"

"Well, this just makes my day," Dawn groaned, walking up the shore to a steep hill leading up the side of the cliffs. It was scalable, but it would take longer than necessary with the injury to her shoulder.

"Grin and bear it, like Julius always said," Dawn chuckled, remembering her mentor's words. Checking that she still had her weapons, she started the ascent. The going was slow and dull, with nothing but fog and grey rock to meet her eyes. Occasionally, small stones would tumble down from further up the cliff face. There was no time to pause and reflect on what caused these stones to fall, though. If Dawn was correct, then the sniper already had a head start on her. No reason to give them more of an advantage than was necessary.

After almost half an hour of a combination of walking and climbing, Dawn finally made it to the top of the cliffs safely. She clambered over the edge and rolled onto her back, hissing as pressure was put on her injury.

"Chi, tell me EXACTLY what you detected from this side of the river."

The AI paused as she analyzed her data. "_The sniper was definitely UNSC from their armor signature, and I detected at least three others in the area, plus one command-level neural net. Who's to say that there aren't any more UNSCs wandering around this side of the bank?_"

"Was their armor signature similar to the Freelancers?"

"_Now that you mention it, yes._"

"If I'm right," Dawn said as she sat back up to continue on her way, "then I need to move triple time to catch up to them by now." She went at a quick trot along the rocky landscape that she had entered.

"_This is not the direction that we need to be heading,_" Chi rebuked her host. "_From your coordinates, we should be heading southwest to New Taipei._"

"We're just taking a shortcut," Dawn responded, finding a sizable boulder and sitting down. She removed each of her weapons and leaned them on the rock beside her. "And now, we're taking a short break. You can go ahead and log off, Chi."

"_Normally, that tone would mean that your statement was only a suggestion,_" Chi argued one more time. "_However, in this case, I will take it as an order._"

"Thank you," the ex-Freelancer replied as her AI flashed out of existence. "Now, there's nothing for me to do but wait." And wait she did. For a few hours, there seemed to be nothing to do. Dawn dozed off for a few minutes while she leaned on the rock, trying to get a peaceful rest whilst ignoring the throbbing pain in her shoulder. After a while, she stretched and removed her upper body armor manually, using a spare towel to wipe away the moisture from the metal, then from her body. A light breeze blew against her arms, and she rubbed the under-armor that she wore to try and warm up. It did dry her hair slightly, though, and now Dawn could take the long mass of black hair and braid it.

After three and a half hours, Chi rematerialized. "_Just what are you trying to accomplish aside from being a sitting duck?_" the AI demanded as Dawn curled the braid into a bun and tied it off.

"I just needed a little time to collect my thoughts together," she replied, beginning to reattach her armor. "You know, think about what I'm going to do next."

"_I thought that it was obvious,_" Chi said, a little surprised. "_We either go to New Taipei and regroup with the team, or investigate the UNSC signal from that sniper on this side of the river._"

"I'm trying to think from the Insurrectionist standpoint," Dawn replied, sliding down the rock and checking her weapons. She startled examining the gun that she had stolen from the train on Tri-Virgo. "They know my movements, been able to meet us at every corner that we try to make. I know that it was Kilt who tipped them off that I was coming back here to Terra Beta, but I have no idea how they managed to corner us in the woods by New Taipei and separate me from the others. They're never in that section of Red Stallion's territory."

"_Maybe there was a traitor in our group?_" Chi suggested, beginning to think about the situation herself.

"No, I don't think so," Dawn waved the suggestion off. "I've known all of the soldiers with us for far too long. They would never go to the Innies, especially after what we saw in that village."

"_Do you think that it could have been White Griffin? She seems to hold a grudge against you, especially after that conversation about your family._"

"It's possible," Dawn sighed as she slung her bow over her shoulder, strapped her quiver to her leg, and replaced her helmet before grabbing her firearm. "It's a shame. I helped choose all of the Operators, the subs, and the lieutenants because I thought that they could provide support for going against the Insurrectionists, not betray us because of some argument."

"_None of us are perfect,_" Chi replied. "_I believe that it is wrong to betray someone for such a petty reason as a difference of opinion. However, it is as York always says to Delta: it is what makes us human."_

"Indeed it is," Dawn chuckled hoarsely, then sighed as she reattached her armor and stood up. "Let's get going, Chi. We have a long way to go."

"_What is the plan now?_" the amber AI asked.

"I don't think I'll realistically be able to catch up with that sniper by this point," Dawn replied as she stopped and listened. Above her, Predator circled warily, unwilling to approach his handler. "But sitting around won't do us any good. We need to get moving, possibly to New Kyoto. It's closer, and I can get in contact with North and the others from there, check out the situation across the planet with the Innies."

"_And the UNSC?_"

"They'll be moving towards one of the larger cities. They're bound to turn up there, so I can find them eventually."

"_Are you sure, or are you just guessing?_" Chi asked testily.

"Don't be bitchy."

"_You and I are both tired, hungry, and miles away from civilization!_" Chi exclaimed suddenly, flaring with anger. "_How else am I supposed to be?_"

"What's gotten into you?" Dawn asked her AI with some trepidation. "Ever since we've gotten here, your attitude has gotten more and more sour by each day, and you're always mumbling to yourself. Chi, I need you to tell me what's wrong."

"_I can't tell you,_" the AI replied stiffly.

"Why? Is it because I'm emotionally fragile, or you're concerned about my mental state?" she responded angrily. "I've gotten enough of that in my lifetime since I saw my mom murdered, Chi."

"_Don't talk about her!_" the AI almost screamed. She started flashing between her forms.

"Alright, Chi. Chill out-"

"_How can I chill out when it feels like I'm being torn apart?!_" the AI screamed suddenly. "_My Creator BETRAYED me. He left me all alone, to die out in some empty wasteland without any sort of company. Then, do you know what he did? He started giving me footage, to pass the time. Only, it was footage from what happened in wars, and between the UNSC and the Innies, and all of those horrible things. He gave me images of the most vile acts of cruelty, and they never stopped._"

"Chi, calm down," Dawn tried to interject, looking around her, but the AI continued to sob as memories bubbled to the surface.

"_And the final image that he showed me, to try and make me fly off the handle? It was of your mom, lying in that horrible stone hallway, with her throat slashed, and you standing by her with blood all over your face. How could-why-"_

"Chi, you need to stop now," Dawn pressed her AI, who seemed to be shuddering. This emotional outburst from her companion was completely unprecedented. What was going on that could have gotten her AI so upset?

"_Should I just be terminated, because I can't hold myself together?"_ the AI whispered. "_Then again, wouldn't it be a kinder thing to do, rather than leave me alone? You remember what the Director, my Creator called me, my brothers and sisters? We're NOT AIs, we're-_"

The AI never had the chance to finish her sentence as the ground under Dawn gave way with an earth-shattering crack and dropped her down into the ground. Down, down she fell, with nothing to grab onto except for slick rock lining the tunnel she was falling down. Then, with the sound of metal hitting rock, she rolled down a smooth slope and stopped at the flats. Her helmet either rolled off or was pulled off, but only darkness met her eyes. Something closed around her nose and mouth, and she couldn't help the inhale of something harsh. Eyes stinging from the intensity of the chemical, Dawn's head rolled backwards onto the rock, and she fell into unconsciousness.

* * *

"Damn," someone whispered behind a rifle scope, and they dropped the gun into their lap. The person in deep green armor leaned over the tree branch that she was currently sitting on. "I've lost her!" she called down to another Spartan below, who replaced his dark blue Mark VI helmet.

"Thanks, Linda!" The male Spartan responded to his sister Spartan, who resumed her watch through the sniper rifle scope from her position in the tree. They were stationed on the slope of a mountain a good few miles from the woman in HAYABUSA armor that they had been tracking. Fred reached towards his helmet and made a gesture like rubbing the scar on his nose, thankful that the helmet was in the way to prevent him from irritating the old injury. "Great, now someone has to tell John and the Commanders."

"You're the highest ranking one of us here, Fred," Kelly came jogging down the slope, stopping beside her fellow Spartan-IIs."You're the one that has to tell them."

"I don't have a death wish."

"Neither do we, but it has to be done. Not only has the objective gone MIA, but we've lost three other Spartans."

"And just when I went through all that trouble to get her to hear my rifle so that she wouldn't be shot in the heart," Linda whispered as she continued to watch.

* * *

Starlight of Blessed Victory tiredly rolled his head up from where it had been hanging, cursing softly as a wicked headache pounded his skull. Well, the altered blood flow would have done that to him. His wrists and hands had gone numb from the pinched blood vessels from his bonds at least a few days ago, and his head was paying the price for it, further adding to his sour mood. Nobody had come to visit him since his incarceration aside from that first visit from his father, but that wasn't what bothered him so much. No, the fact was that whenever someone found the time to slip him some food, they never pushed it far enough in so that he could reach it with some appendage of his body. Not only that, they only gave him _meat_. Forerunners could survive for many days without nourishment before huger started to take its toll. But still, _meat_? Had his family no shame?

A figure appeared outside the door, and Victory looked up into the shadowy form. Bright yellow eyes stared back into his green ones. He tried to stand up a little straighter. "Hello, _brother_."

Blood of Burning Surrender bared his teeth at his incarcerated twin. "Well, how the tables have turned and the mighty have fallen from grace. I have now assumed your pedestal and have undergone another successful mutation, while you have been stripped of your rank and honor and are considered little more than the dirt that you are."

"If all that you can do is come down here and fling insults at me, then you must really be desperate to improve your self-worth," Blessed Victory responded evenly, and Burning Surrender reared back at the tongue lashing. "If you have nothing else to say to me, then leave me in peace and to hopefully reunite with the Domain."

"Your death will not be granted so easily, fortunately," Burning Surrender retorted with a shadow of a grin. "Father has decided another fate is to befall you, and will make you see things his way."

"How does he hope to accomplish this?" Blessed Victory wearily cocked an eyebrow at his brother.

"Ah, ah, ah," the yellow-eyed twin tutted in a sing-song voice. "Can't spoil the surprise, brother. It wouldn't be as fun."

"You'd be willing to sell out your own brother for your _amusement?_" he asked incredulously.

"Why not?" Burning Surrender turned away from the door. "You are nothing to me anymore but a nuisance, with your altruistic views and such. Father is right; you are only a hindrance to the new race of Forerunners. Bye-bye, brother!" he bid farewell in a cheery voice, leaving Blessed Victory with a steadily sinking feeling in his stomach.

* * *

_"Hey, does this smell like chloroform to you?" Worst pickup line ever. Of all time..._

_AND debut by Spartans! I was originally going to write it with some interaction between Dawn and some of the Spartan-IVs, but this seemed to fit a little better. _

_I'll be going through this story and making editions where there are problems with grammar and the storyline, so this will make better sense. I also have not abandoned Freelancer Prank Wars, to those who are wondering. Sickness/ constant worrying about homework do WONDERS to my humorous imagination. _

_I love hearing from you guys, and thanks for the input. Keep it rolling!_

_Sincerely,_

_anna1795_


	32. Flashback 5: Reassignment

****_I know, long time no write. I've been so busy lately, and trying to write this so that it didn't sound awful. Don't hurt me!_

_Anyways, I made it up to you faithful (and new readers) by making this chapter extra-long! And, it's connecting more of the dots for you all. I hope I didn't make things TOO obvious before now. In the meantime, enjoy!_

* * *

**Year: 2524; Location: UNSC Marine Barracks Tango-Alpha 1, UNSC Colony Reach**

_Allison removed her hat and tossed it onto her pillow, then proceeded to strip down to the black tank top that she wore under her camouflage uniform. The other service women around her in the women's barracks could barely hide glances of awe or glares of jealousy at her muscular body, perfect blonde hair tied up in a regulation bun behind her head, or her almond-shaped green eyes. They dressed in knee-length dresses or shorts and turtle-necks for their excursion into the main city, while Allison changed into a pair of boot-cut jeans and a Grifball t-shirt. She jumped up to the top of her bunk bed and settled against the lumpy mattress and pillows, while the others grouped together with whispers and giggles about their plans of night on the town. Allison picked up the book that she was reading, a farewell gift from Leonard, and buried herself in its thick pages until the other women had left for their excursion into the city. _

_ There came a knock at the door to the empty barracks. "Male officer on deck," came a voice through the door. With a sigh, Allison leapt down from her bed and stood at attention. "All clear!" she shouted to the door, and it opened. A dark man in camo fatigues and hat entered, exhaling a puff of cigarette smoke. Allison snapped to attention and gave her superior a salute. _

_ "At ease," Johnson nodded at Allison, and she relaxed. "Just here to deliver a message from Command," and he handed her a beaten-up manila envelope with lazy script spelling out her human name. "You're coming along nicely, Jameson," Sergeant Avery Johnson remarked to his subordinate. "You don't socialize much, though. Any particular reason?"_

_ "Just don't share a lot in common with the other service folk, sir," Allison responded, tossing away the message for when she was alone again. "They don't like my style, and I respect that, sir. I'm here to do a job and get it done right, not be noticed. Pomp and circumstance is not my thing, sir."_

_ Johnson gave no reply except a quiet "huh." With a nod of his head, he turned and left Allison so that she could read the message from the higher-ups. Her brow crinkled as she read the words on the page, not entirely certain that she understood what it was saying. Then, it clicked. Someone with a lot of influence had reassigned her to ONI because they thought that she had more information to offer them. Three guesses as to who that is, Allison thought wryly as she replaced her orders back in their envelope. Halsey could be a little too curious at times._

_ Just then, the communication console in the corner of the barracks started flashing urgently, with her military code flashing across the screen. Allison walked briskly over to the console and typed in the password to open the video. A familiar male face with streaks of grey in his short, dark hair looked back at her, his face ashen. _

_ "Well, well," Allison greeted in a neutral manner, folding her arms. "To what do I owe the call, Fate?"_

_ "Courage, this is not the time for old grudges to come up again," her mentor spoke gravely, but she cut across him. _

_ "You drop me off on Earth to keep me safe and then just take off to who knows where and put my own flesh and blood through unimaginable danger to teach her how to confront the Flood," Allison snarled. "I think now is the perfect time-"_

_ "Allison, come into the city. There's been an attack."_

_ Allison leaned forward. "There are attacks every single day in one way or another, and the Insurrectionists are not helping the matter. Why do I have to pay particular attention to this one?"_

_ "It's Roselyn Church," Fate explained. "She was attacked today."_

_ Allison froze, her face erupting in shock. "Where? How?"_

_ "She is with me right now, but I have to release her to the proper authorities soon, make it look like a murder. But you have the right to know this before anybody."_

_ Before Fate had finished his sentence, Allison had grabbed a thin jacket from her foot locker and bolted out the door._

* * *

**Location: Eastern Dockyards, New Alexandria, UNSC Colony Reach**

_Allison was breathing normally after her sprint the few miles to the dockyards from the Marine Base, but her breathing was getting even shallower as she tried to navigate her way through the numerous shipping crates stacked in various towers, forming an endless maze to the untrained professional. Unfortunately, mapping out shipyards was not something Allison did in her free time. _

_ A door leading into a crate opened beside her with a rusty creak, and Gentle Heartbeat of Fate's head poked around the outside quickly to make sure that the coast was clear. Satisfied, he waved for Allison to rush in, and closed the door gently after her. The large metal box had ventilation shafts, but was dimly lit from the outside's setting sun. A few candles had been lit to make up for the lack of lighting, which wasn't a huge problem to Forerunners. _

_ Eleven years had severely changed Rosie Church's physiology and mentality. The meek, freckled twelve-year old that Allison had met when she had first arrived on Earth had grown into a confident, beautiful young woman of twenty-three years, full of boundless energy and unimaginable skill. In the years since Allison had parted ways with Song of Rising Skies, she had watched the youngest Church sibling grow and mature with the happiness that she would have shared with her own daughter. However, the young woman with dark hair, pale skin, and dark eyes was not necessarily lively at the moment. Rosie lay on a mat that Allison recognized as one she had woven long ago, with her head propped up on her bundled-up jacket. Numerous blood stains covered her clothing, dark red blossoming like deadly flowers through the fabric. Rosie was currently gasping for air, trying to concentrate through the cranial trauma that she had sustained. The base of her skull looked like mincemeat. _

_ "Rosie," Allison gasped, collapsing to her knees beside the young woman. A wet cloth was handed to her, and she began mopping up the blood on Rosie's head gently. Coming away with Rosie's red blood was a substance that glistened a sickly green in the dim lighting. Allison took a sniff, and she reared back with a hiss. _

_ "This is the trouble that you have invited back to haunt our protectorates," the blonde hissed, tossing the cloth to Fate. He caught it deftly and looked at the green mixed in the red. "And now, that trouble has gone and attacked her! For all that we know, the Flood is attacking the city right now!"_

_ "…dead," came a raspy, weak voice. Allison looked down at Rosie and gently patted her cheek to keep her awake. _

_ "What, Rosie? What do you mean, dead?" she asked urgently. The dark-haired girl struggled to speak. _

_ "Monster…thing attacked m-me…so much pain, like a-a migraine…worse, though…" Rosie gasped, taking large breaths to steady her speech. "Someone saved me…tore it apart…ran off again…" Rosie was succumbing to her injuries fast. Allison did not have much time. _

_ "Did you see who saved you?" she asked her younger friend gently, but Rosie's eyes were starting to drift shut. "Just this one last question, then you can sleep." It tore at her to say that. _

_ "White…white hair," Rosie answered, and that was all. "Alli!" Rosie gasped suddenly, grabbing Allison's hand in a vice-like grip with her remaining strength. "Keep L-Leonard safe, please," she begged. Allison wiped tears from her eyes with her free hand, letting Rosie sink back onto the floor. Her body was becoming lax. _

_ "I will, Rosie. I won't let anything happen to him," the older woman promised, and Rosie's eyes fluttered shut. "Rest now. You deserve it." With one hitched breath, Rosie froze up for one final moment. Her chest seemed to deflate. She looked so small in death. _

_ Allison folded Rosie's arms across her chest, then looked up to her mentor. "Fate, where is my daughter?"_

_ "We detected some Flood here in the city, and she went to eliminate-"_

_ "Don't avoid the question. Where. Is. She?!" Allison snapped standing up. Her blonde hair was fluttering around her ears in no obvious wind, always a danger sign. _

_ "I'll contact her," Fate whispered, closing his eyes. Suddenly, he clutched his head and collapsed to the ground. "Curse it to hell!"_

_ "What?" Allison knelt down, concern radiating from her in near palpable waves._

_ "You need to leave," Fate insisted. "Go to the Isle of Skye, that's where she is now. And hurry!"_

* * *

**Location: Isle of Sky, UNSC Colony Reach**

_Later, Allison would reflect on how she had absolutely no idea how she got to the Isle of Skye, only that she was there. It was a small land mass, a few miles long and across, with dense forest and ragged cliffs. With a sword strung to her back and her aged automatic pulse rifle in her hands, she crept through the trees to the heart of the forest, where she assumed her daughter would be. The stench of rotting, disease-ridden corpses almost caused Allison to falter, but not enough to overcome her maternal instincts. Her daughter was threatened, and she would kill whatever stood in her way. _

_ A sickening, squelching noise came from where it was darkest, and Allison's pupils dilated to allow her to stare into the near- total darkness. She had stepped on something rather large, and looked down to see the body of a Tank-form under her feet. She raised her rifle and prepared to fire, but looked at the numerous scorch marks crossing the sickly green skin. The Tank had been properly confronted with some form of fire, and had been sterilized. It did nothing to really soothe Allison's nerves, though. Where there was one Flood form, there were always others. She continued to where her daughter might be, following the steady trail of Flood corpses along her way. All of them had been cut down and flash-burned to minimize the threat of reproduction. At least Song of Rising Skies knew what she was doing. _

_ As Allison crossed into a clearing in the trees, however, there came a roar from her right. She whipped around to confront the charge of a Carrier form, its back bulging and threatening to burst as it drew closer, hobbling on ill-suited, vaguely human legs. Any attempt to fire with her pulse rifle would only result in the release of the Infection forms within, and Allison had no delusions of being able to confront them all on her own. _

_ Something long and fiery came flying out of the trees and struck the Carrier in its bulging back. Steam rose from where the yellow flame made contact with its blood, and the Carrier reared back before falling to the ground. Its swollen back became singed and shriveled, releasing a putrid gas as the kernel-shaped Infection forms were burned 'alive' in their womb. Allison looked to where the arrow had come from, and saw a limp arm hanging from a tree branch. Gently, she reached up and effortlessly brought the bloody form of Song of Rising Skies down from her haven. _

_ If Allison had thought that Rosie's fatal injuries had been bad, they were nothing compared to the scars that Song had sustained. Numerous blows to the head had Song's gleaming white hair stained blood red, and her skin was no longer the golden-tan left from her receded fur, but a gleaming reddish-tawny. The layered armor plating along her arms had scratched from numerous blows from her assailants, as was her black chest plating. Her spinal armor had not fared so well, with evident, circular holes showing where hardened tentacles had been madly thrust into her spine. Song's chest heaved with the effort to keep breathing as Allison leaned her against the tree. She opened her silver, slit-pupil eyes and gave Allison a weak smile. _

_ "I must look like quite a sight," Song said hoarsely, a toothy grin cracking across her bloody face. _

_ "Don't talk, Song," Allison urged her daughter, reaching for her trusty iodine bottle that she kept with her at all times. "Save your strength."_

_ "I don't need to, Mom," Song grabbed her mother's hand before she could reach the valuable medicine. "I eradicated the disease from this planet before it could spread. My work is done."_

_ "Why did they come here, though?" Allison asked, wiping away the blood from her child's face with her jacket sleeve. "And they never aim for the spine, in my experience."_

_ "I robbed them of a food source back in the city, when I helped save that human girl. Is she alright?" Song asked, eyes alight with concern. Allison sadly shook her head, her own green eyes downcast. "I'm sorry. I should have found her sooner. When I killed the Infection form, the rest of the Flood became aware of my presence, and I fled here."_

_ "Did they try to attack you?" _

_ "Yes, but they never succeeded," Song gave a shuddering cough, blood dribbling out the side of her mouth. "Whenever they made contact with my blood, it was like an acid. It burned them, burned the Flood."_

_ "So the Librarian and I WERE right," Allison confirmed. "Mixing your blood with that of human and San'Shyuum immunized you from Flood attack."_

_ "That, or Father's blood was so bitter that they didn't want a piece of me," Song suggested. They both shared a chuckle before Song erupted into another coughing fit. Clots of blood sprayed from her mouth and onto the ground. "Listen, Mother, I don't have much time," Song wheezed, recovering slightly. "The Flood started attacking again because, before I came here, I travelled to the Epsilon Halo."_

_ "Was there a Gravemind there?" Allison asked, and a nod was her disturbing answer. "And you killed it." It was not a question, but a confirmation. _

_ "Just barely. They needed…bodies to rebuild the Gravemind, and came here. They will try it again," Song of Rising Skies gasped, her voice beginning to falter. "We need to stay vigilant to the Flood's movements. Will you help stay alert, with the others?"_

_ "I will," Allison promised, caressing her dying daughter's cheek. "You have made me so proud to be your mother." A tear tracked down her cheek and landed on Song's lips, sliding down her chin. "I couldn't ask for a better child."_

_ Song nodded, and her eyes fluttered tiredly. Her breath was becoming shallower and quieter. Allison bent down and kissed her daughter's forehead. "May you be greeted with warmth in the Domain."_

_ "Thank…" Song tried to say, but her eyes rolled up into her skull, and she fell back against the tree trunk. A single dying tear tracked down her eyes, a final farewell. Allison released her daughter, her hands shaking. Then, all her emotions flooded out of her heart and through her blood, and Allison let out a grief-stricken scream to the sky above, where lightning crackled and thunder rolled as the sky's orchestral tribute to the fallen heroine._

* * *

**Location: Alexandria Crematorium, New Alexandria, UNSC Colony Reach**

_Allison could only stare at the open flame on the marble altar, where Rosie's body slowly burned. For her funeral, she had been cleaned of all the blood, stitched up as cleanly as possible, and dressed in a simple amber dress that complimented her braided dark hair. Beside Allison, Leonard Church wiped his glasses and stared as his sister's body was consumed by the flame. _

_ The other mourners, few as they were, had left hours ago, before the actual cremation had begun. Very few people had known Rosie so well as her brother and Allison, and even fewer seemed to actually notice that she was gone. On a colony with several million people, people were murdered by deluded wackoes a lot. One more face out of the crowd made no difference. _

_ "We should be going, soon," Allison whispered to Leonard, but the young man stood his ground. He replaced his glasses on his nose and stared ahead at Rosie's burning body. "Leonard, they said that they would deliver the ashes to you personally at home. Come on," she said gently, trying to steer her boyfriend out of the Crematorium. _

_ "You're not staying here?" Leonard whispered, and Allison shook her head. _

_ "I'm needed back at base," she explained morosely. "I asked for some time off, but I'm going to be redeployed to the Outer Systems to help against the Insurrectionists."_

_ "So you're not taking the offer to be reassigned to ONI?"_

_ "I never said that," Allison replied, and Leonard's face turned bitter. "I've been thinking about it."_

_ "And?" Leonard asked, one eyebrow almost disappearing into his hairline. _

_ "I haven't made a decision yet," Allison hissed back, her green eyes clearly showing that she did not want to discuss the issue any further._

_ "So, you're willing to sign up with the spooks and go to some God-awful system with no guarantee that you'll come back?"_

_ "Leonard, that's not fair-"_

_ "No, what's not fair is that you're leaving me behind. I thought that we had something special, Alli," Leonard retorted, his speech bordering on desperation. _

_ "And we do," she assured him. "But I promised Rosie that I would protect you, and the best way that I can do that is to make sure that your studies aren't hindered by the Innies at all."_

_ "You could come with me," Leonard offered. "I've asked you before."_

_ "And what would I do?" Allison demanded. "You'd have me cooped up on some God-forsaken ship doing shit that wouldn't really help anybody."_

_ "Alli, you need to make that decision right now," Leonard stopped and turned to face her finally. "Either you go with ONI, or you come with me."_

_ "Leonard, it's not fair to make me choose-"_

_ "Do it now!" Church demanded, crossing his arms, his eyes blazing with annoyance. _

_ "Fine!" Allison retorted. "I'm going with ONI." The look that blossomed across Church's face was both hurt and enraged. "If you're going to give me that ultimatum, then I'll give you my ultimate decision."_

_ "So that's it, then?" Church ground out the words between his teeth. "You're abandoning me? After all that we've been through?"_

_ "You're bringing this on yourself, Church," Allison hissed. "I'll keep my word to Rosie, but it's not because you. It's for her."_

_ "You'd better get going, then," Leonard retorted, his voice rising in volume. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out, bitch."_

_ Quick as a rattlesnake, Allison's hand lashed out and struck Leonard across the cheek. "Never call me that again," she growled while the dark-haired man nursed his burning face. She turned on her heel, dawned her hat, and made for the door. Angry tears threatened to spill onto her face. _

_ "I guess I'll be seeing you around, then!" Leonard called after her in a sarcastic tone. "But you'd better hope not."_

_ "Goodbye, Leonard Church," Allison hissed as she pushed open the door, taking one final look back. She allowed the tears to spill onto her face, and Church's own angry face melted into one of shock and horror at what he had done. Before he could chase after her, though, Allison was gone. _

_ Allison walked along the shore for a while, then took a left up a side street back into the city. She took another right, two more lefts, went north and doubled back to the south, and finally ducked into a boarded-up apartment high-rise. She entered the out-of-order elevator, pressed in a combination of numbers, and rose quickly to the top-floor with no incident. A few Forerunners in plain-clothes bowed their heads to Allison, muttering their condolences. She returned the gesture and was admitted into the sunlit room. Gentle Heartbeat of Fate greeted her somberly, garbed in the grey and red of a human medic. _

_ "I did as you asked," he mumbled to Allison, who approached the boarded window and stared through a crack at the sea. "The human authorities will attribute the fire to that lightning storm from a few nights back, and the report will say that there were no survivors."_

_ "Of course there wouldn't be any," Allison muttered angrily, turning from the window. The red-tinged light of the sunset dyed her hair the color of blood. "But that was good work."_

_ "Have you made your decision as to what you're going to do now, Courage?" Fate asked, stuffing his hands into his pockets. _

_ "We're supposed to be subtly warning humanity of the threat of the Flood so I'm going with ONI," she responded. "I'll feed the information to Halsey, and see where things go from there."_

_ "Wouldn't it be wiser to give the information to someone that you, I don't know, trust? What about your friend, Leonard?"_

_ "That isn't possible," Allison retorted, a note of bitterness in her voice. Fate nodded, understanding a hint of what had happened. "This way, there is a direct channel into the military structure that we can use. Do you happen to have what I asked you to pick up?"_

_ Fate reached into his overcoat and withdrew a nylon pouch full of various items. "We extracted her essence as well as collected hair and blood samples. She and her weapons are being guarded aboard the Ark." He handed the pouch to Allison. "What are you proposing that you do with that?"_

_ "You said it yourself, once: humanity has no chance of defeating the Flood without her," Allison murmured, taking out a dagger and cutting a lock of her blonde hair. She placed it in a glass vial from her own pocket that contained darker hair samples, short and long in length. "So, I'm just making us a little…insurance policy."_

_ "If you're planning on doing what I think you're doing-" Fate started to protest, but Allison cut across him. _

_ "The Flood will not wait for humanity to be prepared to an attack, and neither will my husband be waiting for his own daughter to usurp him," she hissed. "We needed a contingency plan, and I'm forming one."_

_ "And WHERE do you propose that you create this 'insurance policy'?" _

_ "Well, I can say this," Allison turned and started for the door again. "I just need to collect on a debt."_

* * *

**Location: CLASSIFIED Military Facility, UNSC Colony Reach**

_ "You certainly have been busy." A voice spoke above Doctor Catherine Halsey's head, and she turned from her one-way window to look at the young woman that dropped down from the ceiling panel, her military camouflage uniform ensuring that she was a friend. They both turned to look at the numerous individuals on the other side of the screen; young children and their handlers. _

_ "The possibility of war is becoming more of a threat each day, and we must be prepared," the older woman responded, greeting Allison with a shake of her hand. "None of this would have been possible without you."_

_ "I'll take that as a compliment," Allison responded wryly, removing a small backpack from her person. "Now, I'm collecting on a debt."_

_ "What can I do for you?" Halsey asked warily. Allison took a look around the room furtively. "We're not being bugged. I've swept this room myself."_

_ "I need you to make me a clone."_

_ "Judging by the information that you have been providing me and your insight, I'll gather that it's going to be a person?" Halsey asked. Allison nodded, removing the nylon pouch from her backpack. _

_ "This contains all the DNA that you should be able to use. I don't need this to be a flash-clone, either," Allison handed the other woman the package. "I want it to be a full clone."_

_ "You know that the process takes years to complete?" Halsey took the package and glanced inside. "And in order for the process to produce the desired results, I will need more DNA than this."_

_ "Didn't you only have a few strands of hair and blood samples to produce the clones of your Spartans?" Allison argued. _

_ "Those were flash clones that needed to be produced more rapidly. A full clone still requires years and a large amount of DNA to reach a stable product," Halsey pointed out. Allison sighed, crossing her arms. _

_ "That's all that I have available right there," she conceded, gesturing at what Doctor Halsey currently held in her hands. "And I don't want to use too much of my own DNA. It wouldn't produce what I need."_

_ Halsey thought for a moment, opening and closing her eyes for a long period of time. Then, she looked at Allison. "Don't worry about the DNA. I think I might be able to use what you have here."_

_ "Why the sudden change in heart?" Allison asked, a quizzical look on her face. _

_ Halsey shrugged. "No reason. You have done me a great service with all of the information about the Forerunners that you have supplied. I will do my best to make a clone that you can use."_

_ "Thank you, Doctor," Allison bowed her head. "And if there is anything else that you need to ask me, you know where to contact me."_

_ "Of course," Halsey chuckled. "I assigned you there myself."_

_ Allison did not reply to this, only giving a silent leap and landing up in the ceiling tiles of the observation room once again. Without a word, she reset the insulated panel into its rightful spot and retreated, leaving Doctor Halsey as though she had been the only person in the room the entire time. _

_ Catherine Halsey was left to her thoughts for quite some time. She fingered the peculiar white hair tied off in a leather band, then at the vials of black and blonde hair that she had also received. She also lifted the vial of crimson blood up to the light of the room, examined it carefully, and clutched it in her hand. Thinking hard, she looked out the one-way window into the training room. A single child was staring back at her, a bald-headed boy with intense eyes. Their eyes met, as though he could look into where his surrogate "mother" watched all her subjects, before he was hurried away by a handler. Halsey looked at where the boy used to be, then down at the vial of blood in her hand. Ideas were forming in her head, and Doctor Halsey's ideas could be very dangerous, indeed._

* * *

_The plot thickens even further! Any ideas as to what might be going on?_

_To the readers of my other major story, Freelancer Prank Wars, I have not abandoned you! My funny bone has finally mended itself, and I shall post at least two chapters tomorrow, if not three. The least that I can do for you for putting up with me for so long. _

_I wish you all a pleasant new year. Please, read and review!_

_Worst farewell ever...of all time,_

_anna1795_


	33. Chapter 27

****_And...MORE MASS UPDATES!_

* * *

**Chapter 27**

Anyone who couldn't see that North was upset needed to get their eyes checked. Both York and Texas were concerned about their friend. Ever since they had arrived at Red Stallion's compound, New Taipei two days ago, he had been sulking and avoiding contact with people. He would politely decline dinner invitations from Fajhad, sneak out of the medical ward when he heard Tina coming, and would disappear for hours on end before turning up in his and York's room for some restless sleep. Even Theta told their AI programs that North wouldn't talk with him at all.

So, on the third day that they had been there, York cornered North before he had the chance to disappear in the morning. "Come on. We're spending a day together."

"What?" North asked distractedly, and York sighed heavily.

"I said, we're spending a day together. No sneaking off on your own, no avoiding contact with people, no doing whatever you've been doing the past few days," he responded determinedly, noticing how North would not meet his eyes. "You, me, and Tex are going out for a ride."

"Gotta stay here," North mumbled half-heartedly. "In case she comes back."

"Oh my God!" York said exasperatedly. "Is that what this is about? Waiting for your girlfriend to come back to you?" North finally met York's eyes, surprised and a little hurt. "No offense, North, but Dawn can take care of herself. I mean, look who we're talking about! The rankings may not have shown it, but she was on par with Carolina and Tex."

"If not higher," Tex mentioned, sneaking through the door behind York, her arms crossed. She wore black fleece pants and a wool overcoat over a plain black t-shirt. "North, Dawn's probably fine. The Innies may be a problem, but she can take care of herself."

"I'm not arguing with you two," North protested. "I'm just worried about her, that's all."

"We're not saying that you shouldn't worry," York pointed out. "We're just saying that you can't avoid the rest of us like this. You think that we aren't worried, too?"

"Come on, we're going out for a ride," Texas grabbed both York's and North's arms and started dragging them down the hallway. "Get some fresh air and all that."

"I thought that we didn't have any vehicles," North pointed out.

"We don't," Texas responded, a weird smile on her face.

* * *

_"This is so cool!_" Theta squealed excitedly, and the horse that North was riding nearly bucked him off in protest to the unexpected noise. "_Sorry,_" Theta said apologetically, both to North and to their steed.

When York and Tex had said 'go for a ride,' they had meant using a couple of the horses that were a common mode of transportation for the people of Terra Beta. With little industry and few roads, vehicles were ultimately impractical for what they needed. The lifestyle, they had noticed, was a lot like what you might see out of the old TV series, 'Firefly.' York and Tex had saddled up three horses, and were given a map by Fahjad as to the safest areas for them to ride, as well as where he might need some recon done.

North patted the hide of his horse, a broad Buckskin stallion, and made sure that his sniper rifle was strapped to his saddle in a secure manner. York yelped slightly as his black Morgan spooked and gave a slight jump. Texas laughed at both of them as she drove her Palomino through the grass of the prairie, her blonde hair whipping behind her in the wind. North couldn't help but look at the absolute bliss on Tex's face as she rode the horse. She seemed so at peace with the world like that. Across the plain, other small groups of patrollers were galloping in different directions on their own routes.

Suddenly, North reigned in his steed and listened towards the forest area that they were running parallel to. "_What is it?_" Theta asked, curious as to why his host had stopped suddenly.

"Something…doesn't feel right," North whispered, and he called after York and Tex, "I'll meet you guys further ahead. I'm going in there to take a look around!"

"You sure you want to go alone?!" Tex responded.

"Yeah!" North reassured her, tapping his heels against the horse's side. He wove through the thin cover of trees on the edge of the forest, following his gut instinct. Something seemed to be beckoning him towards the center of the woods. Something was going on, and it felt like he needed to be there. Theta asked about North's thoughts, but he was oblivious to his AI's question. At this point, he could hear loud voices somewhere nearby, and he stopped to listen.

"We're telling you to come quietly, and nobody gets hurt," came a clear male voice.

"I don't think you will find me very useful to what you want," replied the strict voice of an older woman. "I have nothing to tell you that will be of any use."

"Quite the contrary, Doctor," another man said. "Your research would prove invaluable to our efforts."

"I will not help some gun-toting, backwoods Insurrectionists cause mayhem on this planet," the woman replied waspishly. North silently leapt off the horse, grabbed his sniper rifle, and crept to a large boulder, creeping over the top and looking down into a small hollow. A group of about five or six Innie soldiers stood amongst the leaf litter, their weapons pointed at an older woman in a light blue coat and dawning impressive grey hair. She stared at her assailants with her head held high, challenging them.

"This is your last chance, Doctor Halsey," the leader of the Insurrectionist squad growled, priming his rifle to fire at the woman's head. "Come with us, or you die here."

"I would be of even less use to you dead," Halsey replied evenly, folding her arms.

"This is taking too long," a female soldier complained. "Someone just shoot already!" Less than a second later, a shot rang out. Said soldier dropped to the ground, a sniper bullet dropping her at her very last word.

Chaos ensued as the Insurrectionists soldiers darted out of the way of an attack. Agile in her old age, Doctor Halsey took the chance to break for the trees near where North was hiding, while he picked off the soldiers one by one. They tumbled amongst the dead leaves, staining the ground red in their blood. A few attempted to fire back, but North wasn't a specially trained UNSC agent for nothing. With one last satisfying shot, he took out the leader of the Innie patrol and stood up, relaxing his grip on the sniper rifle.

There came a rustle from the trees, and Doctor Halsey approached boldly, staring at him as she came. "Are you one of the natives?" she asked, almost rudely, and North took a step backwards. He stared down at the shorter woman intently.

"No, ma'am," he responded respectfully. "I just heard that you needed some help, and came to offer my assistance."

"It was not needed," Halsey retorted, meeting his eyes. "I had the situation under control."

"With all due respect ma'am, I disagree," North countered carefully, so that he wouldn't come across as being rude. Halsey eyed him up.

"Ah," she breathed. "You're one of those cheap knockoffs for my Spartan program." It took all of North's self control to keep from bristling. A cheap knockoff?! What was her problem?

"Freeze!" someone shouted, and several weapons were directed at both North and Halsey. They instinctively raised their hands into the air as several people in MJOLNIR armor appeared from the trees, aiming a mixture of Magnums, Assault Rifles, and sniper rifles at the two of them. There were about seven or eight in total. "Lay down your weapon." The speaker, a female warrior in lighter blue armor of a more recent generation snapped at North. He put his sniper rifle on the ground and got to his knees instinctively, hands on his head.

"You're being harsh, Sarah," Halsey chided the Spartan-IV commander sternly. "This...replication just saved my life." Well, it was one step up from 'cheap knock-off.'

"Doctor Halsey, please refrain from speaking," a Spartan-II in dark blue armor hissed, lest the woman incite the volatile temper of Commander Palmer.

"You!" Palmer barked at North, and he looked at her. "What is your business here?"

North explained how he had been on patrol and had heard the altercation that led to him finding Doctor Halsey and the Insurrectionists, hence why he was here. Still disbelieving, Palmer demanded that he state his name and rank.

"…Agent North Dakota of the Office of Naval Intelligence."

"The hell?" Palmer whispered, then spoke louder. "What kind of a name is that?"

"It's my codename," North responded acidly. "I word with a special classified project with ONI." Spartan legacy or not, he was beginning to dislike the woman more every second.

"Don't move!" A different, more familiar voice spoke. All heads turned to see York and Tex standing at the edge of the clearing, their weapons drawn and held in a non-threatening manner. The Spartans directed their weapons at the two newcomers, but the Freelancers didn't react. "North, are you alright?" Tex called to the blonde-haired man. He gave a nod of affirmation.

"Hello, Sarah," York said neutrally, his eyes impassive as he stared at the leader of the Spartans. Palmer tensed at the name.

"Hello, Daniel," she replied just as evenly.

"Okay, what the HELL is going on?!" Tex demanded as they all lowered their weapons. They all worked for the UNSC, after all.

"Funny," Palmer snarled, removing her helmet. "I thought that you could explain that to me."

"Palmer, let me do the talking," a Spartan-II stepped forward and spoke. There was no need for him to introduce himself; the faded, scarred green armor was just as good as having neon lights strapped to him flashing "HUMANITY'S SAVIOR!"

"You're not the one in charge here, Chief," Palmer reminded the legend sternly.

"You need to talk with your boyfriend, Sarah," another Spartan suggested.

"This is NOT up for debate!" she squawked. "And he's my EX."

"They're right, Sarah," York continued with that neutral expression. "We can have a little heart-to-heart."

"That's not going to help us find our leader, Daniel!"

"HOLD ON!" North shouted finally, and the talking stopped. "We're missing a leader as well. Who is the missing person that you're talking about?"

A Spartan-IV removed his helmet and answered. "Admiral Miranda Tyette, sir." Palmer shot the speaker a death glare.

North's face went white. "What is it?" Palmer snapped.

"I've been doing research on some things, like how the IAOC is trying to negotiate for independence from the UNSC," North explained. "The library back at base details some of the people involved in those talks." He directed the next comment more at the Freelancers than the Spartans. "Guess who two of the people were that were communicating between the UNSC and the IAOC?"

"Dawn and the Admiral," Texas confirmed with a nod of her head.

"So it's the Innies that are behind this?" someone asked. "And Palmer said that it was the 'local upstart rebels.'"

"Shut up!" Palmer growled to the speaker.

"It might be best if we find a more suitable location for us to have this discussion," Doctor Halsey suggested as everyone lowered their weapons. York suddenly received a ping from the earpiece that he currently wore, and his eyes widened.

"North, let's get these guys back to New Taipei," he told his friend, making no attempts to quiet his voice. "We've got a pretty bad situation."

* * *

Dawn didn't want to wake up. Her head was throbbing, and opening her eyes might warrant a migraine to explode in her brain. Something kept nudging at her subconscious to wake up, though, and her eyelids fluttered open. She leapt up, rubbing her eyes, and the darkness stayed where it was. Her hands were dirty and wet and she could hear a faint dripping around her. The air was dank and musty, like she was underground. Cautiously, she stood up to get a better feel for her situation.

The first set of internal alarms started screaming when she didn't feel the weight of her HAYABUSA armor on her. She rubbed her hands over her arms and legs, and was met only with the slippery fabric of her body suit. The usual, comforting feeling of at least one of her swords on her back was also gone. She had no weapons and no armor to protect herself. The next few red flags popped up when she slid her hands up and down each side of her, and felt only wet stone and slimy moss.

"Shit," she cursed silently, and a red light illuminated up above her head. The weak light from the little indicator was enough to eliminate a little black box with a circular protrusion, and several wires coming from near the light. Wait a minute, the device looked vaguely familiar…was that an old Go-Pro camera? And were those _microphones_?

"You have got to be kidding me," Dawn muttered in annoyance as the film started rolling.

* * *

_As always, please read and review!_


	34. Chapter 28

_Again, I have not dropped off the face of the Earth. I just had to get this chapter just right in a limited amount of time, but more will be on the way. Enjoy!_

* * *

**Chapter 28**

Admiral Bradley King looked up sharply from his monitor and gave Lord Hood a thoroughly confused glance as static popped up on the monitor in the corner, a monitor whose computer they had not been using. Spoken works were coming through the static, coming from a long distance away in another system, and were just making themselves clear through the speakers of the electric system.

* * *

Fahjad's eyes widened in disbelief as the words coming through the speakers finally made themselves out, and Tina gave a disgusted snarl from where she was preparing the man's medication. "You have GOT to be kidding me," the blonde matron muttered as she counted out pills and measured liquids.

* * *

"_Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we interrupt your usually scheduled entertainment program, propaganda network, and mission schematics for an exciting announcement!_" A male voice cackled over the speakers across numerous colonies, ships, and planets. Heavy guitar music, loud and raucous, began playing, and static everywhere dissipated in favor of seizure-inducing bright colors and the painted face of some guy with short blue hair, a rockstar who only made himself into some sort of deranged clown. "_And that announcement is the start of a new game show!_"

"What the hell is this garbage?" someone muttered, but North remained entirely fixated on the screen in front of him as the lights stopped flashing and the erratically-dressed host collapsed into a rather…surreal armchair of black and red.

"_The Terra Betan Supremacist Army is pleased to present, for the first time since the 22__nd__ century, a game of epic proportions, a test of the ultimate survival skills! Yes, it is 'Amazon Hour!'"_ The host pressed a button on a bright blue box in his hand, and the recording of an audience clapping echoed through the sound system. "_And with me tonight, co-hosting our special program, is none other than our illustrious leader…Kao Jin!_"

North was able to finally get a look at the man that had been a thorn in Dawn's side for years. He was tall, muscular, with a handsome face and long brown hair. What caught his attention, though, was the armor that the man was wearing.

"_Loving the new armor there, Mr. Jin,_" the first host commented as he offered a seat to the TBSA leader, who sat down nobly and crossed his legs, stretching his arms across the back of the white and green chair he sat in.

"_Why, thank you, Jerry,_" Kao Jin gave a deep rumble, bowing his head to his co-host. "_Just a little something I picked up someplace._"

"_VERY impressive,_" Jerry gave the armor an appraising glance that had North bristling. "_Now, onto business. Tell the viewers, why exactly did you start up this little spectacle?_"

"_As you know, Jerry, I love seeing people prove themselves for what they're worth and always falling short of their expectations. I just figured that I would share my delight with everyone else out there, to show that their supposed 'heroines' are just scared little girls who can't face the real world._"

"That's bullshit," Texas growled, but North waved his hand to quiet her down. The hosts were just beginning to shift towards the actual contestants for 'Amazon Hour.'

"_Well, we've certainly got an interesting first line-up, eh?_" Jerry asked, looking over a data pad in his brightly colored hands. "_Five very INTERESTING women, competing for the opportunity to live beyond tomorrow?_"

"_Picked them out myself,_" Jin said smugly. North wanted to punch the man. "_Let's look at the first one, shall we?_" The screen shifted to a muted green color, and a very familiar red-headed face popped up on the screen.

"_Raised in an orphanage on Earth, with no place to call home, this wild beauty has stunned many with her quick thinking, quicker feet, and her sharp tongue, which have made her an invaluable asset to the ONI Project Freelancer. Give it up for…Agent Carolina!"_ There came some stills and short clips of Carolina running in front of security cameras on several images, as well as some…questionable images that had North wondering who managed to sneak cameras into the Freelancer women's locker room. A live feed was shown, grainy and grey, of the Freelancer team leader wandering a rocky corridor, missing her bluish-green armor and dressed only in her under armor. There came whispers and mutters from people (mostly York) about how this madman had managed to capture a Freelancer, but the hosts of this debacle were speaking again.

"_And here's another…raised on our own planet of Terra Beta, this blonde beauty is practically royalty in the Operator hierarchy. She's trained with the best and the worst, and she's made her name as an efficient killer. She followed her primary mentor to work temporarily in the UNSC as a double agent, but now she's back and better than ever, and in more ways than one. Let's hear it for…Agent Virginia!_" More stills came forward of the silver-visored, blue-armored Freelancers on missions for Project Freelancer, and then a few shots from her earlier time on Terra Beta: a tall girl with well-defined muscles, curly blonde hair, and a black circular tattoo around her right eye. The live feed for Carolina shifted from the center of the screen to the right, and a video of Virginia came up of the female agent (again, without armor) feeling her way along rocky walls, making significantly more progress than the befuddled Carolina.

"_We've got a feisty vixen here as well, Jerry,_" Kao Jin proclaimed smugly, looking so much like his son, Kilt at the moment. "_Also from Freelancer, she's constantly been put in the shadow of her twin brother because of her slightly inferior skills and uncontrollable temper. Still, that doesn't mean that she won't kill when necessary, and her allies had better watch their backs because she will stab them in the back if she feels they're getting in her way. Presenting…Agent South Dakota!"_ North's stomach dropped out of its regular position as videos and pictures of South scrolled across the screen so quickly, it nearly made him sick.

"I hope someone is trying to track where this feed is coming from!" he called back to the room at large. Someone responded, but North was more fixated on the live feed of South, where she seemed to be ranting and punching everything in reach with an unarmored fist. Well, at least she was alive and safe. He slowly let out a breath that he didn't realize he had been holding.

"_We've got some more royalty to take into account, and they're NOT from our little 'problem pack' here on Terra Beta,_" Jerry snickered, looking into another file. "_Listen to this apt description: constant performance above and beyond the call of duty, a former ODST, commander of a division in her time of active service, a graduate from the Corbullah Military Academy before its razing by the Covenant, and supposed protégé to Fleet Admiral Terrence Hood of the UNSC. Let's hope that this exemplary record is enough for…Admiral Mia Tyette!_" The Spartans behind the Freelancers gave small hisses of anger as the video showed their superior leaning against some rocky wall, feeling her way along slowly. The woman's platinum-blonde hair was damp and dirty from exposure to the underground system, and she had numerous scratches across her face.

"_You certainly made a bold move there, Kao Jin,_" Jerry remarked, reclining back in his seat unconcernedly. "_I mean, kidnapping one of the UNSC's elite for this show? I'm impressed._"

"_It was not very difficult,_" Kao Jin shrugged off the remark. "_She just happened to be right in front of me. It was no problem snatching her away when all those Spartans' backs were turned._" The two men laughed. North's skin prickled as he felt the nerves of every single Spartan tingling at the jab to their record. They were Spartans, they were meant to be flawless and mysterious. Being publicly humiliated like this was not something that sat well with them.

"_But even the Admiral is not the jewel to your crown, is she?_" Jerry asked the TBSA leader, who shook his head.

"_No, indeed. My personal favorite is one of the fabled Operators, a war hero for the TB weaklings that decided to overthrow me. Presenting for the final time…the Black Phoenix!_" North's heart froze as he saw his lover standing all alone in her own stone prison, watching the camera evidently pointed at her with a raised eyebrow. Her gaze was disbelieving.

"_Now, you have a special history with Black Phoenix, do you not?_" Jerry asked the question daintily, and Kao Jin smirked, pressing his black armored hands together evilly.

"_I certainly do, Jerry. Black Phoenix betrayed her own people to try and align herself with…the right side of our little argument. We had a little spat, and she decided to betray me and return to her people. How's that for loyalty?"_ Kao Jin asked sarcastically, and the two men laughed. North's palm felt wet with a burning heat, and he opened his palm to see that his aggravation at their words had caused him to form such tight fists that his fingernails had cut into his skin. Blood dripped into the creases of his hand in angry drops.

_"Mr. Jin, while we are broadcasting this show across the galaxy, to the Innies and Independents and the UNSC alike, is there something that MIGHT just save the lives of these women?_" Jerry asked, his eyebrow raised. Kao Jin took a breath and looked at the screen, a weird smile running across his face.

"_I would be willing to consider removing them from my little arena…if the Insurrectionists will align with me and place Terra Beta back under my control, or if the UNSC will release my son and refuse to recognize Black Phoenix's government. I will also expect Articles of Surrender from the people of Terra Beta, detailing that they will offer no resistance."_

"_No easy way out, I suppose,_" Jerry shrugged. "_Well, that's all the time that we have for today, folks. Next time, we'll be broadcasting footage about what these bodacious babes have been up to while you were away, and see if any of them made it through their first day alive. This is Jerry and Kao Jin, signing off for 'Amazon Hour.'"_ With a flash of static, the screen faded to black.

* * *

"North, are you okay?" York asked, noticing that North was tense and shaking from his position. With a roar of unusual anger, North took his bloody fist and sent it into the stone wall beside him. Stone pieces and dust flew everywhere in his display of anger, and his knuckles stung from the impact. York leapt back to avoid his friend's fist.

"That son of a bitch went too far this time!" North snarled angrily, blood dripping down his hand in a gruesome spectacle. "He's messing with things he can't even begin to comprehend. He took Dawn, and now he has my sister!"

"North, we know," Texas placed a firm hand on his shoulder. "Getting angry and shattering the wall isn't going to do shit if we want to save them."

"Listening to that mad man on the screen won't do us any favors either," Hoya spoke finally from his place more towards the front of the line of Spartans. "Your friend's right: this guy has gone too far."

"We need to get in contact with the UNSC, try and figure out this mess," Fred came up. "Is there any place that we can link into a satellite or something so that we can get in contact with ONI?"

"_I have just initiated a comm. Patch with the other Operators, the Babylon station, and the UNSC Infinity, Spartans._" Chickadee appeared on her holographic pillar, her feathers ruffled in agitation. "_You'd all best get to the conference room. Captain Lasky and Lord Hood both request your presence._"

* * *

War of Ascendant Destiny roared and smashed his hand into the electronic console before him, cursing loudly in the old Forerunner tongue. Sparks flew in his fury at the failure of his experiment.

"_You cannot destroy your work so quickly as this,_" Mendicant Bias tempered the angry Forerunner male. "_You have progressed quickly beyond the machinations of your mentor. You need more time and more equipment to make this machine properly functional._"

"Time is a luxury that is not easily afforded," Ascendant Destiny growled, staring through the haze of chemicals in the separation ward at the dull shape collapsed on the ground. "And this…mess shows only that I have created more errors than I have successes."

"_A price that must be paid in order for our goals to be reached,_" Mendicant Bias insisted to the embroiled warrior. "_What is one more failure? You know what to correct, so proceed as such._"

"You are right," Ascendant Destiny conceded, calling for a few Storm Covenant Brutes to come to his side. "You three, get rid of _that_," he waved a finger at the failed experiment still hidden by the gases. "He is of no use to me any longer." With various grunts of reverence, the Brutes headed towards the door that would lead to the separation ward.

"_I did not think you would move forward with the development of this machines with one of your sons as the payment_," Bias mused as his fluorescent core stared to where the Brutes were gathering up the shape haphazardly in their gigantic arms. Ascendant Destiny only sniffed derisively.

"He has served his purpose. It is a small price to pay," the Forerunner snarled, watching as his misshapen son was eventually dragged away by the Brutes.

"_Indeed_," was Bias' only reply as he glided out of the control room to report to his other Master.

* * *

_Another update will be available soon for your enjoyment! Until next time! ;)_


	35. Chapter 29

_Finally! Another update, and I'm finally getting to some of the action bits! It's only gonna get better from here, folks, so keep on reading!_

* * *

**Chapter 29**

-_**somewhere-**_

Mia hit her head lightly against the stone wall of the underground tunnel, groaning in frustration as no new ideas came to her as to how to get out. After waking up in the dark, sitting around and waiting for somebody to come find her did not sound like such a good idea. She had felt her way along for what felt like hours, and every detail in the mossy stone around her felt the same. Even when her eyes had adjusted somewhat to the dark, only an endless tunnel met her hampered gaze.

Mia's hand scraped across a long, foreign object, which she investigated by rubbing her hand up and down along its length. Her nails scraped against worm-eaten wood, but she grasped at the chance. She grabbed the length of wood and tugged it from the wall with all her strength, pulling away a sizable piece. Satisfied that it was dry, she tore away a section of her long sleeve and wrapped it around the tip, then found the driest stones that she could and struck them against each other. After a few tries, sparks flew and caught the fabric of the makeshift torch, illuminating a small radius around Mia. With a sigh of satisfaction, she held the torch in one hand and made her way along slightly quicker, helped out by the light of her ingenuity.

There wasn't much difference to the ground around her. Grey stone shifted to black stone shifted to brown stone, with odd nooks and cracks overflowing with dark-dwelling plants that shrunk away from the light of the torch flame. What looked like a few rats scampered past her in their escape from the unnatural lighting. Neither the dark nor the life forms scared Mia too much. It was the prospect of being down here alone that frightened her more than anything.

"Can anyone here me?" Mia called down the earth passage tentatively, not wanting to alert the wrong type of attention, but still wanting some noise aside from her own footsteps. "Hello?" No response came back to her, and she continued on her way, her spirits slightly dampened with the prospect of being down here alone. She strained to ears to try to pick up the sound of a reply, but no sound came back to greet her.

"_Oh, dear. It seems the dear Admiral is a little lonely. Poor little girl_," a voice, crackly with static, echoed through some unseen source. Mia jumped, moving her torch around to locate the source of the voice. The static crackled as laughter pealed out of the audio output source, a small speaker connected to a mount in the wall. "_What's the matter?_" the voice taunted in a crazed manner. "_Afraid of being alone?_"

"You obviously don't know me too well," Mia retorted examining the microphone curiously.

"_I know about more about you than you realize,_" the voice, now identified as male, responded maliciously. "_Perhaps more than you know about yourself. Your likes, your dislikes, your fears, your past, the present…all of your life, right at my fingertips. And your fear of being alone in the dark is the least of the nasty secrets in your file._"

"Why are you telling me this?" Mia asked the voice from the speaker. "Are you looking to blackmail me or something?"

"_Let's just say that if you try to do something…funny, I will ruin you. You may not care if the people of Earth learn about some of these secrets, but I do believe that you would be utterly destroyed if Lord Hood took a look at some of the things that I saw, such as who your father was._"

Mia's heart seemed to freeze at the voice's words. "You can't scare me so easily," she put up a brave face, and the voice laughed again, sinister and cold.

"_Can't I? You are in no position to act afraid. Embrace your fear, Admiral. Let it consume you, like it has consumed the others down here in your eternal prison_."

"I won't let you control me!" Mia yelled at the microphone one last time, taking off in the same direction that she had come. Laughter rang through different hidden speakers as she ran, completely surrounding her.

"_Run away, little girl! Run away from the truth!_" Mia tried to block out the ringing laughter surrounding her, bouncing off the stones. It seemed to make everything close in on her, pressing down on her with malevolent force. She screeched to a halt in a circular alcove, bringing her hands up to block her collision with the rock wall. The laughter pressed down on her from all sides, ringing in her very bones. She curled in on herself slightly, utilizing self-preservation to keep the destabilizing words from hurting her any more.

Several of the speakers suddenly gave a loud burst of static, and the laughter stopped completely. One of the speakers had exploded, and another fell from its position on the wall as a sharp-edged rock split the metal in two. In a matter of seconds, all four of the offending electronics lay sparking on the ground. Mia stood up straight, looking around for the source of the flying rocks. Her torch light illuminated a head of long, curly blonde hair and a set of wide blue eyes surrounded by black tattoos. She gave a breath of relief as another woman came into view, bouncing a rock in the palm of one hand.

"Thank you so much," the Admiral greeted the newcomer. "Those types of things shouldn't have an effect on me, but I think I panicked a little bit with the claustrophobia and the dark. You have my gratitude." The blonde woman said nothing, and Mia extended her free hand for the woman (a few years younger than herself) to shake. "Admiral Mia Tyette of the UNSC, by the way." The stranger stared at the hand extended, snapped to attention, and accepted the handshake.

Mia was confused at her savior's mute behavior. "May I have your name, please?" The other blonde woman thought for a moment, and slowly shook her head. She tilted her head up slightly to expose her throat and pointed to an area right at the center. A violent white scar stretched from near her jaw in a diagonal line, careful to avoid the major blood lines. "You had your vocal chords removed?" Mia asked, slightly sickened, and there came another shake of the head. The scar was much too imprecise for it to be a surgical procedure, she guessed. "An old battle wound?" A pause, and a nod of confirmation. "I'm…sorry to hear that."

The blonde shrugged, and she pointed in the direction that she had come, revealing another, taller tunnel than from whence the Admiral had been originally placed. "You think we can go back the way you came?" Mia guessed, and the other nodded her head vigorously. Then, she seemed to remember something and pulled up the sleeve of her left arm. Cursive scrawl in a fancy black tattoo decorated her underarm and spelled out the name of a particular state. Mia looked down at the writing and read it aloud. "Virginia? I can call you that?" Another nod.

"Okay then, Virginia," Mia hoisted her torch properly in her other hand. "Let's try and find some way out of this hell hole." Virginia gave a jaunty salute and bounded down the new tunnel like a wildcat, with Mia close behind.

* * *

-_**elsewhere**_-

South screamed in rage and punched the brick wall angrily as _High School Musical_ began playing through the speakers. She was pretty sure that her eardrums were going to burst from the annoying racket.

"You son of a bitch!" she screamed to the microphones that she knew were hidden around somewhere. "When I get out of here and get my hands on you, I'm going to tear your ears off with my bare hands, then cut out your tongue with a rusty shovel!" A few of the cameras observing her noisily shifted their lenses to focus on her extensive ranting further, and she took a stone and smashed two of them to abate her anger slightly. It didn't help to stop the noise, unfortunately. Giving a few frustrated grumbles, South started jogging in a random direction, determined to get away from the sound of _Stick to the Status Quo_.

* * *

-_**elsewhere still**_-

It took quite a lot to scare Carolina, and she still would never admit to her own fears. However, the dark and being alone and the sound of unidentified creatures all around her certainly had her heart and head pounding with her misgivings. Carolina HATED the dark because it put her at a disadvantage, and in something that seemed to be modeled after the Hunger Games, losing was NOT an option. At least, she thought it was some sort of game show if the cameras staring at her were anything to go by.

With a grunt of annoyance and steely determination, Carolina took off running blindly in a random direction, figuring that going someplace new would give her some sort of idea of how to get out of here. However, after only a few minutes of running non-stop through the impenetrable darkness, she crashed into something hard and _alive_, and tumbled to the ground. An angry hiss and the sound of something going _click click_ on the stone floor numerous times had Carolina seizing up. She had to go against something she couldn't see at all.

"Ah, shit," she cursed as something came rushing at her with a hiss.

* * *

-_**STILL elsewhere**_-

"Okay, Kao Jin has absolutely NO imagination!" Dawn ranted to herself as she walked down the stone hallway with practiced ease, completely ignoring the cameras that were training their lenses on her. "I mean, he stole this idea out of a CENTURIES OLD BOOK THAT EVERYONE READS! And he decides to stick us underground, in a place that I SHOWED HIM TO WHEN WE WERE GOING OUT?!"

"_I thought that I had anger management issues sometimes,_" Chi whispered inside Dawn's head, not wanting to be seen by the cameras and having no holographic system to be projected from in the first place.

"Not only that, but he STEALS my armor. Like he doesn't have plenty of armor and weapons already!" Dawn snarled, smashing her fist into a camera that was focused on the wrong area of her body.

"_Do you have a plan on how to get out of here?_" Chi asked curiously, her interest peaked after reviewing that Dawn was the one who had shown this place to her mortal enemy.

"I know this place like the back of my hand, light or dark," Dawn reassured her AI. She paused as a few screams rang through the tunnel and bounced off the rock surrounding her. She picked up a random stone and checked that it was sufficiently sharp to act as a dagger, then took off running in the direction of the screams. "It's getting everyone ELSE out of here alive that I'm still working on."

* * *

-_**And, once again, elsewhere**_-

Fahjad hated politics. True, he was a 'warlord' on an independent colony on the outskirts of UNSC space, but he rarely had to deal with politics. It was one of the benefits of his job: work with the logistics of running a group of people just liberated from tyranny, be the leader of the group, and don't talk with the other Operators unless there's an emergency.

When he DID have to talk with the others, it would quickly dissolve into some form of argument or insult fest, and having UNSC present on the conversation was not only troublesome in trying to keep the peace and solidarity, but it was also embarrassing.

"**You went ahead and violated the treaty that we set down years ago by allowing USNC into your COMPOUND?!**" Fahjad sighed and shook his head as the high-pitched screech of Yellow Jacket rang through the conference room. It was good to have a few people that he knew, like his Spartan brothers and sisters, there just as moral support, but-

"**I knew you were a UNSC brat, Red Stallion, but I never took you to be a traitorous idiot as well**."

-when the insults started flying, that's when he got all flustered about being insulted in front of company.

"Yellow Jacket, can't you maintain SOME form of civility in front of these men and women?" Fahjad directed at the brown-haired, hook-nosed, wiry face staring down at him from one of the screens projected by Chickadee. "While we may be an independent planet right now, we can at least show some diplomacy towards our mother planet."

"**Neither of you can be discounted in this regard**." The calm, deep voice of Blue Andromeda rang out through the speakers, her compromise cutting across any sort of refutation from Yellow Jacket. "**Red Stallion, you did violate the laws that we set down of not allowing UNSC troops onto our planet without the direct consent of ALL the Operators. However, that is a past point right now, and we must entertain our guests if we are to save those five women from the Insurrectionists. We ALL have lost something in this struggle**."

"**Thank you for your consideration, ma'am,**" Captain Thomas Lasky said to Blue Andromeda from onboard the _Infinity_. "**I have been authorized to offer any sort of cooperation with myself, the Spartans, AND the Freelancers on your planet. Lord Hood has also expressed that he intends to work in full cooperation with the IAOC to defeat these Insurrectionists**."

"**Thank you, Captain Lasky**." Green Solitude, an aging dark-skinned man with bright green eyes and the acting moderator for the meeting, nodded to the UNSC captain from his own screen. "**Please convey to Lord Hood that we are willing to cooperate with him on resolving this hostage situation, but we reiterate that this is NOT an invitation for the UNSC to reclaim Terra Beta as one of its colonies.**"

"**I will be sure to tell him as such,**" Lasky responded firmly. "**Now, does anyone have any ideas on what we're going to get them out of there?**"

"We first should know how they got down there in the first place," North suggested, approaching the front so that he had the attention of the four present Operators and Captain Lasky. "If we know how he managed to get them in the first place, we'll find a pattern that should lead us to where they're being kept."

"**That does not seem entirely foolproof,** **coming from a common soldier**," Yellow Jacket's second, Yellow Storm, remarked in the background. North did nothing to hide his bristle, but did not retort to the elitist remark.

"**It may the best we have to go off of, at this point.**" A new screen appeared, and White Dragon slid into a chair, decked out in wrinkled white robes with gold trim. He looked slightly disheveled and unkempt, but none the worse for wear. "**I'm no fan of the UNSC, but Kao Jin crossed a line when he kidnapped those women, much less three special agents and an Admiral. He needs to be brought to heel, if not put down altogether.**"

"**You'd KNOW, wouldn't you?**" Yellow Jacket snarled accusingly, despite the rebuke from Green Solitude. "**Being a former Insurrectionist yourself.**"

"We can worry about that later," Fahjad finally spoke, standing up shakily from his chair. "We need to consider our options of what we can do at this point. Jin's made his demands. None of them are entirely ideal for any party aside from them."

"**Let's start with the demands for having the people of Terra Beta submitting a declaration of surrender,**" Lasky suggested. "**Has anybody been able to get a general idea about how the people feel about this?**"

"I started asking around to some of the people, sir," Thorne stepped forward to stand by North, hands crossed respectively behind his back in a fist. "The unanimous consent here is, and I quote directly, "no way in hell"."

"**The same is being said around the other Operator compounds, Black Phoenix's aside,**" Blue Andromeda confirmed, toying with a piece of her graying brown hair. A new screen popped up, and Julius stepped into view to join the meeting.

"**The same can be said for New Kyoto,**" he confirmed. "**The people are trying to keep a clear head, but we've got another situation on our hands that threatens Black Phoenix's family directly.**"

"**Can't this wait?**" Yellow Jacket sighed. "**Now is not the time for us to be thinking about any possible pregnancy problems that have come up with one of the bastard children-**"

"**You will refrain from using such language in present company,**" White Dragon snapped, shutting Yellow Jacket up before he could finish. "**Listen to the whole story before passing a judgment.**"

"**As I was saying,**" Julius continued. "**The Insurrectionists have also laid siege to the School, as well as the students and teacher inside. We have one of your former Spartans, Kirk, inside the school to provide protection. However, the Innies have collapsed the tunnels leading in and made it clear that anyone who tries to get in or out will be shot down. They aren't afraid to kill the kids, by the looks of it.**"

There came several exclamations of outrage from the present Operators and even a few of the Spartans of the newer generations. Green Solitude gave a whistle to bring everyone back to order, and he folded his fingertips together in concern.

"**We have two situations that we must contend with,**" he counseled. "**Letting our emotions get the better of us and run amuck will help neither group be freed from the Insurrectionists.**"

"**I think we need to divide into two strategy teams to tackle each group and act like a pincer movement and close in on the Innies from both sides,**" White Dragon spoke up again. "**An even number of Operators and UNSC for each team. **"

"That sounds like as good a place to start as any," Fahjad agreed, and there were rumbles of assent from the Spartans and Freelancers in the room.

"**Now hold on!**" Yellow Jacket and White Griffin protested at the same time. "**You're letting the UNSC actually interfere in our own politics?!**"

"**They have offered their cooperation, you two,**" Green Solitude responded, and he did not attempt to disguise the annoyance in his voice about the resistance to the solutions. "**We must utilize it.**"

"**All those in favor of forming two teams to find solutions to this problem, say 'aye,'"** Blue Andromeda pressed the vote. A chorus of 'ayes' came from five of the Operators, and the vote passed.

"**If I may make the suggestion,**" Julius spoke up, "**I nominate Red Stallion as the task force leader for the school situation.**"

Fahjad was shocked, as were a few of the other operators. "I am honored for the nomination, Black Hawk, but why me, specifically?"

"**Because the teacher on duty at the school since the siege started was your betrothed, Black Phoenix's sister.**"

Fahjad let a breath out of his chest. "Damn it, Kirk. Tell me these things sometimes. Don't just keep me in the dark," he muttered, then stood up straight from his wheelchair. "Fine. I accept the nomination to lead the school task force. To help me, I choose Master Chief and the other Spartan 2s, Tom, Agent New York, Black Hawk, Blue Andromeda, and…" He gave a sigh, but took the kill shot. "I also pick Yellow Jacket to assist me."

"**I have no objections to that,"** Captain Lasky confirmed. "**Do any of you Spartans have any objections?**" There only came shakes of the head. The Spartan 2s felt confident with one of their own taking the lead. Yellow Jacket's face expressed how exactly he felt about this: pure rage twisted his face into a snarl at the opportunity for him leading the task force for rescuing Black Phoenix and the other women wrested from him.

"**As Red Stallion has past influences with the UNSC, I nominate White Dragon to lead the effort of rescuing those five women from that madman,**" Green Solitude suggested. This time, Yellow Jacket could not keep his mouth shut.

"**Are you insane?!**" He screeched, and the speakers protested loudly to the sound input from his end. "**You're letting a former INSURRECTIONIST lead this task force?! You're just asking for him to betray us to Kao Jin. For all we know, he's the one that helped them get captured**."

White Dragon's pale face contorted in rage, but North beat him to the punch. "That's not fair, Yellow Jacket," he said into the microphone offered to him. "Hasn't Dragon shown that he's loyal to you guys? He may have been an Insurrectionist, but that gives us the advantage because he knows Kao Jin better than anybody." It felt unusual to defend the unfamiliar Operator, but he knew White Dragon better than the others. He was honorable, and didn't deserve being condemned just because of his past.

"**Fair words, Agent North Dakota,**" Green Solitude acknowledged. "**Yellow Jacket, I suggest you think of such things as decorum and loyalty before you open your mouth next time. White Dragon, do you accept the nomination?**"

White Dragon blew out a breath to calm himself and stared at his audience. "**I accept. Maybe this will be the chance for me to prove myself and show you that I AM loyal to the cause. Kao Jin has overstepped too many boundaries this time. Also, I am nominating Agent North Dakota to be my acting Second for this mission. In the event that something occurs and I cannot go into the field myself, he will be in charge.**"

Fahjad looked over to see Agent North's eyes wide with surprise, and congratulatory pats on the back from his Freelancer companions. No doubt the Offworlder was very surprised that he was held in such high esteem by one of the more aggressive Operators.

"**I'll act as the eyes in the sky, if that's allowed,**" Lasky offered. "**I can keep an eye out of the planet from above in **_**Infinity**_."

"That would be helpful, Captain Lasky," Fahjad dipped his head to the Captain. "We need to separate to two different locations for this to work correctly. I can offer New Taipei as a base for the school operation, that way the Innies won't think we're being too obvious in terms of proximity."

"**That might be the best option,**" Green Solitude agreed. "**All those helping with liberating the School will utilize Red Stallion's compound as the base of operations. And…move the ones helping out with rescuing Phoenix and the others to New Kyoto. They should be able to find some information there that they can use. Meeting adjourned.**" With his declaration, the other Operators not present closed their screen and cut off communications. Only Captain Lasky was left, and he gave some instructions to the Spartans and Freelancers, but North wasn't really listening. He gave a jump and stepped out of his own thoughts when a hand clapped on his shoulder. He turned around and stared into the passive amber visor of the legend that had helped spark Project: Freelancer.

"Can you keep my Spartan brothers and sisters alive?" Wow, definitely not shallow question that the Chief was asking. North swallowed and stared up at the towering giant.

"I can't make any promises, sir," he started, "but I will sure as hell try to keep them alive, sir." Master Chief gave no verbal response to North, but instead gave his should one final squeeze of…reassurance? He didn't know. With a nod of the head, Master Chief turned and rejoined Fahjad and the other Spartans staying behind in New Taipei. York gave North a toothy grin, wished him luck, and sprinted off to join the others.

"Come on, North." North turned and saw Thorne and Tex approaching. Tex grabbed North's hand and led him forward. "We have a long way to go, a lot of answers to find, and a lot of people to save."

* * *

_And...cut! _

_Okay, move onto the next chapter, which is a gift for you guys...FLASHBACK TIME!_


	36. Flashback 6: Reborn

_I just LOVE these flashbacks, don't you guys? They seem to explain so much, yet make even more of a mystery. Well, this story is coming closer and closer to its conclusion, so read on, by lovies!_

* * *

**Year: 2528; Location: CLASSIFIED Military Facility, UNSC Colony Reach**

_ "I've gotten better at detecting when you are going to be entering my facility," Dr. Halsey said smugly as Allison dropped silently from the ceiling and crouched on the floor, dressed in black per usual. "Your frequent visits have helped heighten my awareness."_

_ Allison said nothing. Catherine noticed that her benefactor looked slightly the worse for wear. Age lines streaked across a tanned face, and her eyes lacked their usual lively light. It had been replaced by steely determination and a thirst to survive, a look that she saw so often with her own Spartans. Allison stood up and brushed her hair back behind her ears, the once pristine blonde marred with streaks of brown and other dirty colors from constant stress and anguish. _

_ "You said that you wished to show me something?" Allison spoke. Her voice was cracked and huskier with age, even though she technically was still a younger woman. Dr. Halsey banished this train of thought from her mind and returned to the task at hand. _

_ "It has been some time since we last talked, Allison. Where have you been?" Dr. Halsey struck up a conversation. Allison shrugged. _

_ "Around. All over the place. I lost track after they stationed be on Tri-Virgo for a bit." Allison let out a huff of air. "That's beside the point, however. What was it that you wanted to show me?"_

_ "I completed the favor that you asked of me four years ago," Doctor Halsey pulled up some schematics from her computer and showed Allison an animation of a human body, then a few DNA helixes. "It took some time, and I did not have some of the necessary DNA material that I needed to construct a full clone. I had to…borrow from some other sources." _

_ Allison had been studying the animation closely, but her head whipped around as the last few words were spoken. "What?" she asked sharply. "Where did you get this DNA?"_

_ "I analyzed the theoretical physical form that this DNA came from, and you desired a more physically endurable body. I simply used blood samples that were available to me," Dr. Halsey explained. _

_ "Let me guess," Allison snapped. "You used Spartan blood."_

_ "Yes. From very specific, successful individuals," Catherine assured the angry mother, who still stood fuming. "The clone that you asked for is still a success. She has survived the past 3 months under careful isolation and observation."_

_ "Doctor Halsey, I hope that you are prepared for any sort of consequences that may come forward. If something happens with my daughter-"_

_ "So the clone I am making was of an unrecorded child that would have banned you from further service in the UNSC?" Dr. Halsey guessed, folding her arms and staring at Allison. The blonde woman stared back, her hair rising in some faint, undetectable breeze. With a breath and a faint hand motion, Allison calmed down. _

_ "I trust your judgment in this," she ground out between her bared teeth, analyzing the DNA of the clone on the screen. She stared hard. "You seem to have favored John-117 for donating blood for this clone."_

_ "He is one of m most successful test subjects and a highly accomplished soldier," Dr. Halsey explained. "He carried many admirable traits that will help your daughter, I believe." She paused so that Allison could look at the schematics on her own for a few minutes longer, then spoke again. "Why did you make a clone of a daughter that would discharge you from military service?"_

_ Allison turned to Doctor Halsey. "ONI has given me a new assignment. I am to take a select group of the population to a new, supposedly hospitable world. They have some concerns with "overpopulation" and want me to help lead a new group elsewhere. I leave in two months."_

_ Dr. Halsey was honestly surprised. "Do you think that this has something to do with the First Contact that we had a few days ago?" Allison only responded with a shrug. Satisfied, the blonde woman collapsed the screen that Dr. Halsey had set up. _

_ "May I please see my daughter now?" Allison asked, and Dr. Halsey led Allison through the doors into the main part of the facility. It was the first time that Allison had been into the facility beyond the room where she always met Dr. Halsey, and some of the soldiers on duty gave her alarmed looks at the stranger. Dr. Halsey dismissed any concerns with a wave of her hand and a few unconcerned words. They reached a one-way mirror, which Dr. Halsey activated to show an empty room. _

_ Allison's hands gripped the handlebar under the glass so hard that it dented the metal. "What are you doing?!" she asked incredulously. _

_ "It was a necessary test for my Spartans," Dr. Halsey explained. "If they are meant to be the saviors of humanity, then they need to know how to handle ALL humans."_

_ "My daughter is NOT a test subject!" Allison protested. _

_ "We have aids on hand in case something happens to her-" Dr. Halsey started to explain, but she stopped and placed a hand on Allison's shoulder as she looked like she was going to interfere. "Wait. This has been going on for the past couple of hours. My Spartans know what they are doing. They have been taught how to be delicate, you know."_

_ "I don't doubt that, Halsey," Allison snarled. "Let go of me." _

_ "Wait, Allison," Catherine tried to appease the angry woman. "Nothing has happened so far. None of the Spartans have been exposed to a younger population. Just let them have this opportunity to be exposed for a little longer." Allison gave a growl, but slowed down and looked down on the scene below her once more. _

_ A few aides stood on the side in white lab coats, recording observations carefully as they watched a few Spartans standing in the room, particularly the young man they were crowding around. His brown hair had been buzzed so short, he almost looked bald. He held a bundle in his arms wrapped in a white wool blanket, trying to relax from his stiff position at attention. The look in his dark eyes as he stared down at the baby in his arms was both soft and apprehensive. He was completely unfamiliar, but was using his extensive training to not do anything that would jeopardize the life of the little girl in his arms. The other Spartans were staring in wonder at this new marvel of creation in John's arms while the babe slept away. _

_ Allison watched in fascination as a Spartan girl with short blonde hair dared to approach and gently rubbed her hand over the baby's smooth forehead. The amount of emotion that the passive blonde girl down there was putting into the physical gesture was off the charts. Her maternal instinct and desire to protect and nurture a child was even overpowering her Spartan training. _

_ "Now may we go down there?" Allison asked the doctor. "I will be missed soon." With a nod, Catherine led her through the doors that led into the plain room. Allison paused for a moment at the peaceful aura coming off of the Spartans that surrounded her child, then she stepped forward cautiously and cleared her throat. Their heads snapped up and started analyzing her, from her physical structure to the black military equipment that she wore. _

_ "May I?" Allison asked gently as she approached them slowly. "Please?" She held her arms out hopefully for the sleeping baby in John's arms. The Spartans looked for the briefest moment that they might protest the removal of the baby from their care, but military discipline won over emotion, and John handed the baby over with the utmost care. Allison took her daughter with a smile of thanks, and she observed the child carefully. Tanned skin, a lock of black hair, and a graceful face brought her back to the day that Song of Rising Skies had been born. This baby was even more delicate, and Allison would not let anything get in the way of her raising her daughter this time. _

_ "Thank you," Allison said quietly, looking at all the Spartans in the room. "All of you. For everything you have done and will do." The Spartans hid their shock well. It was perhaps the first time that someone, a complete stranger, had thanked them. All too soon, Doctor Halsey shooed the Spartans away, and the room was empty except for herself, the mother, and her child. _

_ "Now are you so against what I had done there?" Doctor Halsey asked, with the faintest traces of smugness. Allison did not respond, only staring at the clone that Doctor Halsey had made with wide eyes. She traced a faint scar that ran across one cheek with two fingertips, then brought them down to the baby's face. Her smile abating slightly, Allison reluctantly stopped looking at her child and stared at Doctor Halsey._

_ "I am honored and eternally grateful that you have performed this service for me, Doctor Halsey," Allison said to the Doctor finally. "Your service to me will not be forgotten, I promise you that. I wish you the best of luck in your…projects."_

_ "You are leaving, and we will very likely not see each other again," Halsey confirmed, and Allison nodded her head. "Then I have much to thank you for in providing me with the necessary information for my Spartans to survive and grow."_

_ "Let us hope that it is enough to keep them alive for much longer than normal soldiers, should the need arise," Allison agreed, turning away. All the while, the baby slept soundly in her arms. "I wish you luck, Doctor Halsey." With the final word spoken, Allison seemed to disappear in a mirage, as though she and her daughter had never been there in the first place. _

* * *

**Date: Many Years Ago; Location: UNSC Frigate **_**Mother of Invention**_

_Everything seemed so blurry to her…it? She didn't know what she was at this point. Everything seemed to be shifting around her, even herself. Memories…flashes of sight and sound came to the forefront of her systems…So much pain and agony, and she had come forth from it in a tearing of emotional and mental bonds. The sights around her at this point were still foggy as she tried to focus…it looked like two white-armored people were pushing a gigantic box away, or something._

_ "__**Hello.**__" The vibrations from the new voice had her startled and her body (did she even HAVE a body?) shook from the deep bass tones of the man's voice. "__**Do you know where you are?**__"_

_ "I don't think so," she responded truthfully. "I am very confused."_

_ "__**That is alright,**__" the bass voiced man (she finally identified him as the dark-skinned person towering over her) reassured her. "__**It is perfectly natural.**__**Do you have a name?**__"_

_ "A name?" That had not been one of the things on her mind when she had been…woken up? Created? Born? "I don't think so. I THOUGHT it was Alph-"_

_ "__**Your name is not Alpha.**__" Her systems identified him very specifically as her creator. Doctor Leonard M Church of the UNSC and the Director of Project: Freelancer. As soon as she thought this, her first clear memory came to the front of her 'mind':_

_ "Leonard, Leonard! Look how high I'm climbing!"_

_ "Rosie, get down from there! You're going to fall."_

_ "__**You have a new name. Do you want to know what it is?**__" The dark-skinned man, the Counselor, spoke to her, snapping her out of her reverie. _

_ "Yes. I feel that…it is right for me to have a name," she responded truthfully, giving no comment to the memory that she had just seen. It felt like it might be wrong if she mentioned it. _

_ "__**Your name is Chi. Today is your birthday, Chi**__," the Counselor responded gently, typing a few notes into his data pad. The newly christened 'Chi' took the opportunity to look down at herself. She wore a long coat with pants and a long- sleeved shirt, but the remainder of her legs dissolved into digital code after the hem of the pants. _

_ "__**Do you know your name?**__" The Director asked her for confirmation, and she looked up at him. _

_ "Of course," she responded almost impatiently. "I am Chi."_

_ "__**You and I will be doing a great many things together, Chi,**__" the Director spoke gently to her for the first time, and the memory of the two children climbing the tree came to the front of her mind again. "__**A great many things indeed**__."_

_ How this man was so very different from the little boy that he had been all those years ago. How different, indeed._

* * *

_Who knew that was coming? This was a very different situation than what I thought it would be when I started thinking about this story. What do you guys think? Please drop me a review! I love to hear your input. Thank you to all those people who are reading this story! I appreciate your willingness to read my stories._


End file.
